Explosive Fatness and Pregnancy at 27 Weeks

                                      See, this is what I mean when I say "explosive fatness

 I was 10 weeks pregnant here, and sure I'd spent the past 6 weeks throwing up every single day, multiple times a day, but I was normal sized here, small, comfortable, I could fit into my clothes.

Then, 15 weeks later, I ate myself or something like that. Ok, maybe it was all that chocolate and ice cream that I suddenly became so fond of, and now that I'm looking at it, the strips are NOT helping the situation.

 

So, now that I'm pregnant and look it, people continually ask me, "How are you feeling?". I try to be polite and not whinny, and so I reply, "Oh, pretty good." But here is what I actually should say:

 

1. Fat! Sometimes like a whale. Other times like a turtle flipped on its shell. Most of the time I feel like an ever expanding Violet Beauregard. You know, the girl in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory that eats the gum and blows up like a blueberry.

 

2. Tired! I wish I could lay on my couch and sleep all day and all night. Sometimes, I want to crawl under my desk at work and take a quick power nap.

 

3. At times annoyed with our Little Boo that is taking up residence in my body. I mean, yes, most of the time I really love him, but sometimes he is a bully. Like when he decides to repeatedly kick me in the bladder when I already have to pee really badly but can't because I'm in the middle of teaching a class that I don't trust if I leave the room. Or, when he decides to play circus at the exact moment that I decide it's bedtime. Or, most annoyingly, when he decides it's fun to poke me in the bellybutton. Ironically, his dad also thinks that is a fun way to annoy me.

 

4. Miserable! I never knew it was possible to feel like someone repeatedly punched you in the back as well as feel like someone is attempting to tear apart your rib cage when I've done nothing more than lay on the couch and watch TV.

 

So, the next time you ask me how I feel, yeah, I'll probably respond with a much more polite answer, but know that there is a much more dramatic and whinny dialogue going on in my head.

James's Birthday

It was James's 25 birthday on the 17th of November, and he requested that he get to spend the day working on his new Samuri (the vehicle kind, not the ancient Japanese warrior kind). I had planned on making a really cute cake from him with deer and outdoorsy stuff on it, but I was too fat and tired, so he just got a boring birthday cake this year; maybe next year.

                                                               "Happy Birthday to James!"

He also got the Alvey sweat shirt (and matching onesie for the baby cause well it's adorble) for his birthday.

More House Renovations!

 Since we really want to get as much of our house finished and how we want it before the baby comes, James has been working like a mad man on it lately. He is currently in the process of putting up our fence, adding a hallway and closet, redoing the kitchen/bathroom floors, and finishing up the baby's room. We also got new carpet installed!



New hallway

 

 

Baby's room before new hallway

 



 

Baby's room during new hallway

 

 

 Baby's room after new hallway

 

James after sanding drywall all night

 



 

 James had to pull up all the old, disgusting carpet in the house too.

 

But now we have this!

 

 

Living room

 

 

Baby's room (almost finished)

 

Stairs

 



 

loft

 

 

 

bedroom

 

 

It's a good thing that James is the best handy-man!



Baby Bump

 10 Weeks (I was pretty much throwing up constantly still. This must have been a rare moment when I felt well enough to get dressed that day.)

 

 16 weeks (Mostly just look like I have a potbelly here.)

 

 20 Weeks (I feel a lot fatter than I look.)

 

Also at 20 weeks we got to have another ultrasound. Here are two of our favorite pics of our cute little boy!

 

 Trying to hide.

 

 

Sucking his thumb.

Grandma Lloyd

I've been greatly blessed for nearly 25 years that I haven't had to deal with much death in my life. For 24 1/2 years I've never once had to say goodbye to someone I loved; I never once had to watch them close the casket on a face that I knew to once be so full of life. Clearly my 24 1/2 years of luck and blessing have run its course.

In mid July we buried my Grandpa Wheeler. Now this Saturday, we'll bury my Grandma Lloyd. And while in my head I logically know this really isn't the worst thing. I know logically in my head that she lived 93 years of a great life, and that the past few years were difficult for her. I also can't help but wish that she were still here. That I could go sit on her blue couch with her and hold her boney, fraile hand even though she probably still wouldn't remember who I am. I still can't help but wish I could giggle at her as shuffled determinedly across the floor with that crazy curly wig of hers that I hated. And I still really wish that I could sit on that blue couch in her living room and listen to her read me fairy tales, or sit at her little table in the kitchen and eat her fried potatoes, or even just hear her promise someone that she'll "dance at their wedding."

I owe so much to my Grandma Lloyd for the person I am, for my love of English and reading. And I couldn't be more proud when my dad tells me I remind him of her because in my eyes she was the perfect grandma, always sweet and kind and interested in what you had to say, always stuffing you with food, but she also had just the right amount of sassiness too.

I wrote a poem about my grandpa when he passed, but I don't know if I have it in me to write one about her, too much to say. So in honor of her, I'll just close with two poems that I know she'll appreciate.

Death, be not proud
by John Donne
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so; For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me. From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow, And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery. Thou'art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell, And poppy'or charms can make us sleep as well And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then? One short sleep past, we wake eternally, And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die. Because I could not stop for Death by Emily Dickinson Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me; The carriage held but just ourselves And Immortality. We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. We passed the school, where children strove At recess, in the ring; We passed the fields of gazing grain, We passed the setting sun. Or rather, he passed us; The dews grew quivering and chill, For only gossamer my gown, My tippet only tulle. We paused before a house that seemed A swelling of the ground; The roof was scarcely visible, The cornice but a mound. Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each Feels shorter than the day I first surmised the horses' heads Were toward eternity.

A Baby and a Papasan

James and I have great news (which most of you already know about anyway).

First, we got a papasan, so I will no longer have to steal Amanda's. I've been really wanting one since we babysitted Amanda's for her for a few months when they first had Claira and didn't have room for it, but dang even on KSL they are pretty pricey. Luckily I have a husband that is not ashamed to pick stuff up out of people's trash piles on the side of the road, so he found us a papasan frame, and last weekend we finally found a decently priced cusion for it so now we have this . . .

Second, in late June James and I found out that we were prego! I figured I was right before Father's Day and really wanted to tell him the good news then, but I couldn't get a stupid test to read positive until a few days after so he got this . . .





And now we have this . . .
And it wiggles it's nubby arms and has a huge head and makes me so sick I pray for death to come swiftly and we LOVE it!

My Gramps

I started writing this a few months ago when gramps had just started getting sick. At that time the verbs were "is" instead of  "was," present tense, not past. I'm not really sure it does his larger than life personality justice, but here goes it. 

"Gramps"

An incongurity between the appearance of things and reality, this is irony, and this is my gramps.

The irony of an old man that bleed BYU blue, but had an abundance of red cars, red sweaters, a red couch.

The irony of a white, old man that conviced himself and his family, along with everyone else including indians, that he was an indian too.

The irony of an old man that occassionaly chased us around his house with a whip, but really was a sweet, loving, giving, often times quirky, but still loving gramps.

The irony of an old man that called his granddaughters "messy girls," yet he was the one always spilling things all over his shirts.

The irony of an old man that always wanted you to "visit," but really just wanted you to play the game with him.

The irony of an old man that called you a "damn liar" if you called him an old man.

The irony of an old man that spent his whole life telling everyone to "mind," but I'm not so sure he ever "minded" himself.

The irony of this old man, this amazing, funny, generous, silly, crazy, talkative, bossy, sweet, much loved old man, will be greatly missed.

We love you gramps!

The Catch Up

 Ok peeps, I'm back. So, here are my top exciting stories (that I've taken photographic record of) since ya know, like March.

Hot Topic #1:

After four great years together, my beloved Jesus sandals were laid to rest (thrown in the trash can) after having broken the left one beyond repair. I'm pretty sad about this seeing that they were only
$8.00 dollars when I bought them, they took minimal effort to put on, and well now I have to go buy another pair, which James seems to think I don't really need to do. FYI, I broke them while weeding our flower bed that James insisted I do, and it probably would have been really funny to see my trying to make it back to the house with it still on considering the fact that I couldn't pick up my left foot, so I had to Hunchback of Notre Dame it back to the porch.

 Hot Topic #2:

Yeah, I cut off all my hair. This has been a long continual process that I've done my whole life: grow my hair really long, cut it off, hate it, grow it out again . . . repeat. It's been really hot though, so I wanted it cut, but my hair stylist thought I said butch it, when in fact I said "Don't butch it!" And well, here is the resolute. I guess it's ok.

Hot Topic #3:

Ok, I'm a really horrible wife for not doing this post sooner. James graduated! He was really excited to be done, and we were all super pround of him, and now he is an automotive tech at Jorgenson's Ford!

 Hot Topic #4:

James and I went camping with "some" of my fam. Some highlights from the camping trip: James still couldn't catch any fish, Claira decided to be my friend (only when I had food), only my forehead got sunburnt of course, and I finally beat Amanda at Scattergories (life long dream achieved!).

Stay turned for any other exciting things that might happen this summer, like next week when my family has a pool party and Trent and Chad wear wetsuits and flippers because for some reason I heard through the grapevine that Trent wants to scuba dive at the pool. You better believe I'm be posting about that one.

Vegas Vacation

It's my district's Spring Break this week, a whole week off and away from teenagers I for sure needed, and we headed down to Vegas with James's family to an ASD show for their stores. I'm not completely sure it was the relaxing trip I was looking for, a whole lot of walking all day required, but it was a nice break from work.

at the top of the Stratosphere

at the Bellagio fountains

Home Renovations . . . Still Not Complete

So months ago we started working on the house again, most finishing painting. We're still not completely finished, may never be, but this is what we have done thus far.

We finally got a new stove in the kitchen that works properly and matches everything else and we put some new hardware on the cupboards.

our bedroom - just a "during the chaos" since I never got around to taking a good after pic

our bathroom - the before

the after - we still plan on changing out that ugly vanity to a white one, redoing the flooring, and painting the door white

main floor bathroom - the before

the after - still plan on changing the flooring and this vanity too, or at least the counter top since it doesn't really match

Take Note

Although James bought me a nice camera for Christmas this year, I still really suck at taking pictures. I either don't remember the camera or I feel awkward taking advantage of the photo ops. Anyway it's just James and I, and it's not like we do really exciting things around here a lot, hence the reason I rarely post anymore; plus we're at work all the time.

Anyway today is one of those rare days that I'm not at work or doing something with James because well it's Saturday and James has been at a class all day, so I'm bored and thought I'd post a little something. Things have been pissing me off lately, so I thought I'd stick with that theme.

Things that Piss Me Off Lately:
(In no particualr order.)

1. Dogs that bark all night in our neighborhood: Dogs, warning, I am not an animal lover and am not ashamed of killing you and burying you in my backyard. There currently isn't any grass back there anyway.


2. How I just ate a whole box of Hot Tamales by myself: I don't even know how that happend, but it did, and it pisses me off.


3. Exercising


4. Life, you really piss me off recently.


5. Secretaries


6. Counselors


7. State testing that doesn't work like it should, and just state testing period.


8. Loud noises: James, that one is for you.


9. Doing the dishes, that's a hint for you as well.


10. Old lady visiting teaching partners: No old lady, I will not quit my job just so I can go visiting teaching with you during the day!

Clearly I need a vacation. Hope I can make it to Spring Break in a month.

Things & Stuff

So, I've been slacking on my blogging because we are renovating again, and I've been waiting for all of that to get completed, but we're slow at it. I will fill you in on this though: we may have added somethings to the kitchen, we may have painted something BRIGHT torquoise (LOVE!), we may have painted something else blue, like really blue, by accident - thought about repainting it, but it grew on us - and we may be finally finishing out bedroom. Still have a lot to do, but we kind of like it - minus James is not a good sport when it comes to painting.


Anyhow, I'll leave you with this fun pic to tide you over until I get around to actually blogging again.

For New Year's Eve we played poker, and more importantly, it was my first time playing poker. I'd like you to take notice of a few things in the below picture.

1. Chad's face

2. Chad's "pile" of chips

3. My pile of chips

And although my victory may have been short lived, you better believe I basked in it!