31 Weeks and 1 Day

REVENGE

As I sat at the kitchen table this weekend, messing with my camera, G came walking out and sat across from me with a very interesting look on her face.
Me: "What's up?"
G: "Oh I'm just sitting here waiting for my revenge."
Me: "Ummmmmmmmmmmmm" Looking around to make sure there are witnesses in case this revenge has to do with me! "So how is that going for you?"
G: "Fine." Big smile. "I'm just going to sit here and keep waiting!"
Me: "Do you know what revenge is?"
G: "I don't know? I'll go and look it up."

(Yes that is correct, I LOVE looking things up that I don't know! I always have my Funk & Wagnalls Dictionary close at hand for any spelling/question issues. If Daddy seems like he is telling up a story about Franklin Roosevelt that might quite not be true I rush into the front room and return with my GIANT Encyclopedia where we proceed to attempt to prove him wrong!


G returns shortly with her Barbie My First Dictionary which I am pretty sure does not contain the sweet and peppy quote for "Revenge" but I decide to let her look for it just in case!
She scans through the "R"'s quite perplexed that this book would not tell her what revenge means! So the two of us retire downstairs to grab the Funk & Wagnalls and look up our word.


Bri stood by listening to this lesson, probably wondering how I was going to explain this to our six year old. The definition was very intense but we were able to relate it to the fact that her sister had just socked her in the face that very day.
Me: Revenge would mean if she socks you in the eye you turn around and sock her back (inflict punishment, injury or loss in return for) is that the best thing to do?
G: (intently listening) No, that's not good at all.
And then suddenly I remember the "do unto others" quote! Well we tie that all into revenge and I realize BY GEORGE SHE'S GOT IT!! I just gave an awesome lesson in revenge.
G walks out quite pleased that she now knows what this means and the best part is Bri looking at me and saying "You know what, you're a really good mom!"
But of course in the back of my mind I know...had I given this same lesson to Little One it would have ended quite differently....most likely she would have left to go and sock her sister in the eye because WOW revenge sounds WAAAAAAAY better than the rest of this crap!

My New Baby Cousin Max

Saturday Soccer

For obvious reasons I haven't been able to attend any soccer practices or games this season. After this last week of lying low (after nearly having to report to labor and delivery 10 weeks early) I was determined to go and watch G play a game!
She was so happy that I was coming to see The Dragons in all their glory!

For sure G has her daddy's talent for soccer. This is her second year on the team, we love playing with Audrey and Kate her sweetest pals that she has now known and hung out with for half of her life! They are not just friends they are family, the cousins my girls don't have! It was also really great that some of her other team mates she ended up in kindergarten with!
Above they are getting ready for kick off....notice Adurey's intense runners stance. Also notice that the girls show off their sports fashion sense with their choices of pink and red cleats!

This picture of G and Audrey sharing a chair on their break while the game is going on can't help but make me smile!


Despite the wind the team kicked butt!
I think this picture below of Kate in the wind is dreamy with her hair blowing across her face.

Everybody had to huddle up when the sun went behind the clouds and the wind kicked up. Here is one of my incredible friends Cindy with her family (even little Ceci can be seen peeking through the shoulders!)

G was especially pleased that her Grammie showed up and LIttle One liked being able to be wrapped up and snuggled on her lap as she cheered her sister on.

It's so funny how into these games you can get....you forget it is six year olds playing! Hopefully I'll feel well enough to go again next week, it makes me so proud to see my girl out there not only playing and getting in there for the ball BUT loving every minute of it!

These Boots

"These boots were made for walkin'
and that's just what I'll do. One
of these days these boots are going to walk
all over you."

My G is a tall girl with long legs. When she was smaller I used to get uptight about it, worrying that she would get a complex always being the tallest child. I learned when she was less then a year old that other moms find it a fascinating topic of conversation when a child is tall. They like to point it out over and OVER AND OVER. And then they like to point out that their child is so wee small. When she got to preschool there was one mother in particular who had to point out to me almost ever day that G was "sooooooooooo big and tall! Is her daddy tall? How old is she?" As if perhaps I had snuck her in the class and lied about her age so that the class could make it to the preschool finals in basketball!!
The funny thing was G never had a problem being tall. She never asked about it, never even noticed it! So I stopped worrying about it. She isn't the tallest kid in the class anymore but she wishes that she was.
She LOVES being tall and totally owns it! Her favorite pair of shoes are these boots, purchased for her Pink Power Ranger Halloween costume in 2006 she discovered them again this winter/spring season and would wear them everyday if she could.
They have a two inch heel on them and one morning when I asked her why she wanted to wear the boots again she replied....
"They make me tall!!!"
You have to love a kid who owns her height and is willing to add even more to it :)

A Great Gift Idea for Yourself!!

This morning I saw the author of Ladies of Liberty on Good Morning America this and it looks like an awesome book! If you love history like I do and more in depth looks into the powerful women behind the powerful men this would be a great gift for yourself or for someone for Mothers Day! I immediately thought of Carin when I heard about this book! So Carin you better get this book!!
Last night was such a fun surprise to see Carin and Ellie at our door! They came with yummy cookies and company to say hello and my girls were pleased as punch. #1 because they did not have to go to bed yet and #2 because they loooooooove to see their oldest and dearest friend Ellie!!
Thanks Carin for the yummy cookies and conversation, I still miss having you just kiddie corner from me. I miss being able to hop over to your house at 10:00 at night to learn a wonderful discovery you have made on photoshop! I miss your amazing lunches with fresh picked veggies from your delicious garden and just hanging out all day watching the girls play. I miss having you kick my butt and get me going when I planned to stay inside all day! I miss watching your girls grow on a daily basis and for all the inspiration that would seep through my pores by just sitting next to you!
Yes, I'm prone to being sappy and sentimental and I always will be!

I'm Alive.....ALLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE

I did it!!
Thank you so much for all of the well wishes and great tips on preparation for the dreaded test. We were going to try for Saturday morning but after my barf-o-rama on Friday with lack of food and going to bed early I woke up Saturday morning at 5:00 a.m. starving with the baby kicking and squirming all around and I knew there was no way I would be able to keep fasting.
So.........Saturday I spent preparing myself mentally and physically for for Sunday morning. I made sure to eat small meals/snacks throughout the day then at 6:00 p.m. I had steak and a baked potato for dinner for some protein. I ate again at 8:30 ish and then 10:30 ish had one last snack before the fast began. I stayed up until 11:15 and then hit the sack with all sort of inner empowerment going on and prayers for more inner empowerment! When I woke up throughout the night for a few pit stops I felt the strength and I knew I was going to do it no matter what!
The alarm went off at 6:00 a.m. I got right up hit the shower munched on ice chips and drank water, we were at the hospital by 7:00 a.m. and after a momentary glitch where Bri noticed on the doctors orders that it said Sunday the lab opened at 8:00 a.m. (NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!) it ended up okay. He went in and talked to them and they said it was okay they would take me!
The first hour was okay, I just have to say that I am so sickeningly thankful for my Bri. He seriously is the only person I could think of that I could spend four hours sitting with in a lab waiting room while they siphened my blood and made me drink sugar water! We laughed and talked and laughed some more. By the second hour I started to feel sick and slightly woozy, when I went in for the next blood draw I tried to be cheerful to the sweet gal taking my blood but I could feel the tears welling up as I teetered on the verge of bawling! She did reiterate what Ad had mentioned....you throw up you start over.....and for some reason going into the third hour I reached down deep for the power again and pulled it out! I was glad that I was warned of this ahead of time so that I was prepared to have to dig down deep for some strength!
It was very quiet at the lab for most of the morning, a few babies here and there which we found out later were jaundice babies that had to be tested everyday since birth. The third hour quite a few of these parents came in with their little 2,3,4,5 day olds. Such nice people, we all chatted and laughed about parenthood and those first days home with your first baby!! Wow, can't say I would go back to those first few days/weeks/months with G again! She was HARD.
This wonderful company really made the last part of the test sail by and four hours later and one last blood draw and we were out of there! I warned Bri that I was pretty positive I was going to be vomitting in the parking lot....but as long as I was done with the test WHO CARED!!!!
The rest of Sunday I was so tired and felt like crap and Monday I did too, throwing up and feeling like my belly had 30 babies crammed in there. I don't know if that was the after effects of the test or not? Today seems to be better , at least for now (mwahahahahaha)I'm just taking it easy and waiting for my results.
The first blood test I was 100 (pre sugar drink) which was within normal range, an hour after the drink I shot up to 212 (179 is the highest they want you to bed) what that means I don't know? Then the third test I was down to 150 (the high they wanted you was 152) and I don't know the last number as we took off like a shot when we were done!
So it will be interesting to see how this all calculates out and what I'll need to do from here on out.

Thanks again everybody!!
The tips on asking about a room to lie down were great! As well as tips on taking ice chips to chew on as well as a big tank of water. And I have to say whether you are a prayer person or not it really helped to give me strength and to ask the powers that be for some power of my own to get in the zone to do this!!

****UPDATE****
So in order to have to undergo treatment for gestational diabetes you have to have failed two out of four of the blood tests (i.e. not be within the range given). My last blood level was 68 but because that second one shot up so high they are reviewing it. The nurse thinks that everything is AOK but they will let me know.

Not a Good Day....BLAH

Oh my gosh today has been a 300 out of 10 on the suck-o-meter of life. Throwing up feeling like garbage....I literally feel like I have a flu but I know I don't have the flu. My mom says it is because I am upset about going for that test....honestly I know it isn't that. I woke up this morning with the queasy tummy and then went about my daily business before the mega puking began. It was so bad I had tears streaming down my face because apparently when your body can't push out more puke it just starts shoving out any fluids it has left in it.
Now of course my next question is how do I do the test if I feel this way tomorrow morning? I don't know? I suppose just walk in with my hands raised above my head tossing a white flag onto the desk of the lab and saying "I give up, let's just skip the test amd move on to the next step to fix this problem."
I know things could be so much worse.....believe me! But this is a good place to be able to vent and get things off my chest and hopefully try and eat something and move on!

Soooooooooooo I shall post some pics from one of the better sick free days this week! And then get ready for updates on Digiscrap Night complete with a guest speaker via cell phone all the way from Arizona! ;)

A Good Day Includes.....
Two G's
Yummy Lollipops

Compromising over what to play
and......
Including a little menace, who also likes lollipops, in all of their fun!

Is it good when......

You get the letter describing the three hour glucose test and you start dry heaving while reading said letter......shades of what is to come.
On a good note I have gotten approval to take my anti nausea meds since they do not contain sugar. That could give me an edge up....Vegas odds Throwing up complete with sobbing vs. Susan coming out with a victory 80:1 place your bets folks :)
The plan is Saturday morning, apparently the test itself is around three hours but I have to plan for four to five hours to be there. WOO HOO. Good thing G has a BYE this week for soccer.

SPC Self Portrait Challenge "Absurd" Week 1

"Absurdities are all around us - part of our lives, part of our selves.
Absurd means: foolish, freaky, idiotic, inane, incongruous, nonsensical, irrational, loony, screwy, and ludicrous
a situation in which life seems irrational and meaningless
This is your assignment - to show us how you have embraced the absurdities in your life…"

When I read this months challenge for SPC it made me think. I wasn't sure that I could wrap my brain around how to do a self portrait with all of these things in mind. I couldn't really think of something in my world that was outright absurd?! Then this morning as I got ready to pick up my girls from school I found myself mumbling aloud "This is absolutely absurd that it is April and I am wearing a turtleneck sweater!" As soon as the words spilled out of my mouth I had a lightbulb moment! There are absurdities all around us that we just adapt to! Grabbing my camera as I left I snapped this picture. The sad bare, bud free branches....the bleak white winter sky....raindrops that can't be seen but are felt and the turtleneck sweater that I embrace on such a day whether the calendar says it is spring or not!

I'M A FAILURE....A FAAAAAAIIIIILUUURRRRE *insert sobbing*

So last week I took the lovely glucose test for gestational diabetes. Those of you who are mothers or in the process of being of mothers know the wonderful test I speak of.....where they give you a drink, a drink that appears to look refreshing but is secretly akin to drinking a big pot of Kool Aid made with half the water but the same amount of sugar and Kool Aid powder. You can't eat after you have consumed this drink, then you run off to the doctors office for them to take your blood one hour after you have finished the drink.
Being the gag, sick, vomiter that I am this pregnancy I instantly felt the need to hurl once I had finished the drink. I grabbed a bucket to take with me in the car and headed to my appt. In addition to the pukey feeling it also makes you feel like you have the jitters, I am assuming it has something to do with the MASSIVE AMOUNT OF SUGAR in the drink. When I got home I was sick for the rest of the day.

Then yesterday came the dreaded call:
Nurse: "Hi Susan, I called to tell you that you failed the glucose test."
Me: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Nurse: Yup. Normal levels are 126, you were 179....so you failed it by quite a large number.
Me: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

My reaction is due to the fact that I failed this same test with Little One so I know the drill. I have to go and do the same test only this time for THREE HOURS....where I alternately drink the coma inducing sugar drink and then have my blood drawn over a period of three hours. I have to fast from the night before and cannot eat until the test is over. Those of you who have sick pregnancies know that the prospect of this is HORRIBLE. I woke up this morning and first thing started dry heaving. How on earth will I not eat and then go three hours chugging that drink and having my blood drawn? I assume I will accomplish this with a large barf bucket beside me!

When I did the test with Little One I was not quite as sick as I am this time around. One of my favorite memories of the test before was right around the two hour mark I started feeling like I was hallucinating from the sugar and lack of food in my system. I was two steps away from my own psycadelic Woodstock re-enactment in the lobby of the lab.

This time I fear I may be puking too much to put on a show?

I have to say I'm slightly worried this time around because I am so far off of the mark. With Little One I was borderline and ended up passing and did not have to do treatment for gestational diabetes. With the Rex-inator I am waaaaaaaaaaaaay off which is somewhat alarming.

And no....for those of you that think this is due to my consumption of my cinnamon heavens (see last post) it isn't!!!