Happy surprises

I had a lunch date with friends from my old job yesterday. As fate would have it, it was really a surprise baby shower. Apparently, the restaurant's hostess wasn't in on the surprise, though, as she asked me if I was with the baby shower. It worked out either way. S got lots of wonderful new things, including an adorably baby-ish outfit to wear home from the hospital. Unfortunately, no one remembered to bring a camera, so I can't post pictures. Here are some of the things she got, though.


























Another surprise came in the mail yesterday...our wedding album finally arrived! M and I had fun looking at it last night. It was slightly bizarre considering how long ago our wedding was. All of the junior attendants seem so grown up now- in comparison to then. It's also weird to see myself all dressed up without a beach ball-shaped belly sticking out. I'm just glad the album came before we have the baby. After all, that was the goal when we ordered it in AUGUST.

Beyond that, we're just trying to make sure everything is in order around here. I'm trying to stay on top of laundry and groceries and dishes and such. I think it is quintessentially "Ouiser" that I am terrified to go into labor with my house not picked up. I can't bear the thought of the guest bathroom not being stocked with clean towels or the bedrooms not having clean sheets when family shows up. I know it seems silly- at least I haven't gotten out a ladder to organize the top of the laundry closet, and trust me, I've been thinking about it. I am trying to exercise a modicum of restraint. We'll see how that goes...I've never been all that successful with self-restraint.

Moving right along

I've been pretty much wiped out the past few days. Lots of standing up cooking and getting ready for company left this whale of a pregnant lady in desperate need of a nap. In fact, by the time I got ready and headed to the doctor's office yesterday, I was ready to call the whole day off and crawl back into bed. I was like a three-year-old that missed her nap- cranky. Alas, my wonderful doctor saved the day with the most wonderfully glorious news I've ever heard. We (and by we, I mean me and my reproductive system) are getting ready to pop this baby out. Dilation and effacement have commenced, and it's just a matter of time. I suppose it's just a matter of time either way, but it seems so much more promising now. He also doesn't think there's any way she'll be much over seven pounds (if she gets to seven pounds), and the hope of her "petite" stature at birth also makes me very happy. Of course, that says nothing of how long she'll be, and I have a hunch she's going to be long and skinny like her daddy. That hunch is based on the fact that her head is already dropped way down but she's still playing footsie with my ribs. I read that most of the time, babies aren't long enough to do both. Then again, most mommies have more vertical space than I am able to give her, so it could just be that she's living in the equivalent of a sardine can. We'll see. I'm just happy to know that she's getting ready to make her debut and that both of us are still completely healthy.

It's weird to think that M and I are really going to be bringing home a baby sooner than later. It's surreal. The thought of going to the hospital and delivering our baby has made me acutely aware of my grown-upedness in a way that owning a house and buying cars and "retiring" hasn't come near. It's awesome, awesome, awesome!!

Also, this is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. For all you Colgaters- didn't you go to school with some of these people?? Hehehehe

Here comes the sun

While Christmas day and the day after were yucky, rain-soaked messes, the sun is shining this morning. Somehow, it's kind of like spring...not actually like spring, it's still cold and everything is dormant. I simply mean that it feels like those first sunny days after the long ickiness of winter. Otis will be thrilled to have more outside time. M's dad leaves this morning, too, and I think Otis will also appreciate having his little routine back in order. Don't get me wrong, I think he's enjoyed sleeping in the bed with us, but he knows where his spaces are in the house, and I don't think he likes having things messed with. I'm actually very glad that we preemptively set up his "bedroom" in a space that won't have to change when S comes along. I don't think he'd care for being uprooted by a screaming baby.

As for Christmas, we had a nice, relaxing day. We ate early in the day, rendering us worthless for the remainder of it. M and I exchanged presents first thing in the morning while still lying in bed. Otis lay between us chewing his new rope bone (for the record, he destroyed it quickly). M and his dad hung out on the couch most of the day, and I was completely finished in the kitchen as soon as the dishes were put away. All in all, it was a very relaxing day. We even got to watch It's a Wonderful Life. Yesterday saw more of the same, but today we're actually forced out of our state of seemingly perpetual laziness as M is taking his dad to the airport in Cincinnati and then headed into the office for a few hours and I am headed to a doctor's appointment in about an hour. I suppose you can't lay around in pj's forever. Besides, we've already watched all the Christmas movies.

Moving on from Christmas, there is a nice article on MSN this morning...you may want to check it out. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Hugs to you all.

Santa Claus is coming to town

Otis almost can't stand the excitement. Santa will be here in less than 24 hours. Luckily, he behaved pretty well while Melissa and the kids were here. He tried to eat Jackson's hat and socks a few times, but in his defense, the socks had been soaking in his water dish. Maybe they just smelled familiar. Yeah, right. Either way, I think he's exhausted from the visit, so he's napping in his kennel right now.

Now we're cooking with propane

I made the Caramel Pecan Pie and Hot Fudge Pie last night. I've spent this morning preparing the broccoli casserole and the corn pudding. The ham goes in the oven in about an hour. Things are coming along nicely...and my kitchen is clean. We'll see how things are going around 4:30. Of course, preparing the pseudo-Christmas dinner has not exactly been the highlight of my day. Today's highlight must be attributed to M.

This morning we sat down at the table for breakfast. Otis was hanging out with us, and M decided to take the opportunity to explain Santa Claus to him. Otis sat and listened attentively as M told him that tomorrow night a big, fat man in a red suit was going to come down the chimney to leave presents. He told him that the man would laugh and shake and that Otis was not allowed to bark at him and scare him away. I sat over my bowl of cereal and tried not to snort milk out of my nose. Those are the types of moments that remind me that I couldn't be married to a more wonderful man. He's just awesome. Right now he should be on his way home from Cincinnati with his dad, so I should get back to work making sure things are in order. I wouldn't want Santa to skip our house now that Otis is clearly going to be expecting him.

Of course, Otis has pulled two napkins off the set table already, so maybe M should explain to him how Santa checks to see if you've been naughty.

Like a moth to a flame

I just read an article on USA Today about holiday offerings from various fast food chains. One of the businesses mentioned was (go figure) Starbucks. It mentioned how Starbucks routinely marches out the seasonal Eggnog and Gingerbread Lattes and Peppermint Mochas. My friend Kristie swears by the Peppermint Mocha. Last year, when the Starbucks across the street from her house ran out of the peppermint stuff, she was seriously upset.

It's not the seasonal treats that draw me to Starbucks this time of year. It's the little red cups. I cannot resist them, and I'm not sure why. M and I actually discussed this not too long ago. There's just something about those little red cups of steaming hot yumminess that makes Christmastime more Christmasy. I couldn't tell you the last holiday season that I didn't partake of the tasty goodness that it Starbucks in their holiday cups. I am certain it was before there was a Starbucks in Memphis...which would be about a decade ago. Of course, my tastes have changed over the years from hot chocolate to hot tea to mochas to half hot chocolate/half coffee concoctions to my current favorite- the non-fat chai latte. Amazingly, I've never liked actual coffee, and therein the beauty of the Starbucks business plan is revealed. You don't have to like coffee to head over to the corner Starbucks, and even if you are a coffee fanatic, why stop at coffee when there are Caramel Macchiatos? No wonder there is a Starbucks on every corner in every major US city. They're making money hand over fist (and luckily giving some of it to my dear friend A in Boulder!!).

So, here's a Christmas shout out to Starbucks- master of American entrepreneurship, supplier of Christmas spirit, mecca of coffee (and non-coffee) drinks. I think I'll get myself some today. After all, I'm sure I'll drive past three of four just running errands.

Happy Friday!

Welcome to Candy Land

Refusing to believe that I could be beaten by a simple combination of butter, sugar, and water, I have once again braved the P-family toffee recipe. This time, the results seem to be much more satisfactory. I decided this morning that I just had to give it another whirl, so I busted out the ingredients and the 3-quart heavy saucepan once again. I made Peppermint Fudge first. I figured that a little taste of success would bolster my floundering confidence. It did, and the lingering scent of peppermint in the kitchen made me want to keep going. And on I went. I'll admit, I was very nervous, standing diligently by the pan, stirring my little heart out. I even went beyond trusting my candy thermometer by manually testing the candy's progress- stringing it across a cold plate. Looks like I can't blame the candy thermometer for yesterday's snafu...it was dead-on. Of course, the candy went from 250 to 300 degrees pretty quickly, so I don't feel as bad as I did yesterday. Live and learn.

So, my candy-making for the year is over. I've made all of the things I wanted to make. There are still plans for butter cookies on Saturday night, and tomorrow I am making the pies for our pseudo-Christmas dinner, but I can retire the candy thermometer for another 12 months, and that makes me very happy.

Now it's time to make sure the house is in order for company this weekend, so I'll be cleaning and doing some produce shopping today. It's very exciting around here. I've also decided to pack my hospital bag. You know, just in case S wants to be a Christmas baby. Speaking of S, here are some pictures of her room. The one very empty wall is still anxiously awaiting her map, but other than that, I think we're done. Part of me wants to keep painting and drawing things to put up, but I know that if I start, I'll never stop.

Somewhat less than successful

Have you ever realized that there are things you are just destined to fail at? Or do you ever feel that way? I must say, I more "feel that way" than believe it. I refuse to actually believe that there's anything I can't do. My previous attempts at making toffee have ended in buttery, greasy messes. I thought this was my year- armed with my mother-in-law's time-tested recipe, I could not fail. Yeah, right. I failed spectacularly and am simply glad that my kitchen isn't in flames.

In itself, toffee is not a complicated thing. It's water, butter, and sugar. It's essentially the same thing I successfully made yesterday without peanuts. Somehow, though, it just didn't work out. Instead of making toffee, I made tar. Anyone need to patch their driveway? If you do, I've got the recipe that can do it. I went about today's candy-making the same way as yesterday, setting the timer on the stove for every three minutes to check the temperature of the candy and stir it a bit. After a few rounds, I checked it out, and it was 250 degrees. I set the timer again, sat down at the table and waited for the timer to go off. Before the three minutes were up, I noticed that something smelled somewhat unsavory. I went to the pan and my chin dropped to the ground when I saw the thermometer at 450 degrees. The mixture in the pan was black and bubbling and smoking incessantly. I quickly realized that the entire kitchen was full of smoke. I turned off the heat, grabbed the pan, and headed for the back door. Once safely outside of the gate (read: safely out of Otis's scavenging range), I poured it out. I think it burned a hole to China.

The windows are now open and all the fans are going in an attempt to de-smoke the house. Of course, the smoke is only half of the problem. There is a nasty smell coming out of the kitchen, too. I'm going to bake some bread in a little while to try to combat the odor. I've got to admit, I am not used to failing so completely and in such dramatic fashion- especially in the kitchen. I'm trying to decide if I'm even brave enough to attempt the toffee again this year. I might just stick to my plan of one candy per day and write this one off. I'll let you know what happens...

Name that blob

And so it begins...the time for candy-making is officially upon us. Today's confection? Peanut brittle. I love the stuff, but I don't think M shares my affinity for it. More for me, I suppose. After all, I am going to make Peppermint Fudge just for him.

Peanut brittle is one of those things that is full of bizarre memories. There was always peanut brittle at my grandma's around Christmas, but I seem to remember hers being store-bought. I don't know why...it's the easiest candy I've ever made. Much easier than the chocolate covered caramels I made a few years ago. I would imagine that apartment still smells of burnt sugar if you use the back left burner on the stove. I digress...I also remember making peanut brittle over the Bunsen burners in 9th grade science. Lastly, there always seems to have been a box or two of peanut brittle sitting over the microwave at M's parents' house. Amazingly, I've never seen anyone consume peanut brittle there. One of life's great mysteries- right up there with the Easter Island statues.

So, Christmas is really almost here, and I have the candy to prove it. Tomorrow I'll tackle English Toffee- one of M's perennial favorites that I've yet to master. I'll let you know how it goes.

For those of you who are now squirming with anticipation over peanut brittle, here's the recipe. Trust me, it is not a healthy snack.

PEANUT BRITTLE
1-1/2C Sugar
2/3C Light Karo Syrup
1/2C Water
1/4tsp Salt
3/4tsp Baking Soda
1/2tsp Vanilla Extract
1-1/2C Salted peanuts

In a heavy 3qt saucepan, combine the sugar, syrup, water, and salt. Place over medium heat and bring to a full rolling boil. Cover and boil for 3 minutes. Uncover and insert candy thermometer into pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until temperature reaches 300 degrees (hard crack stage). Remove mixture from heat and immediately stir in remaining ingredients. The mixture will bubble and foam. Pour the mixture onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and spread into a thin layer. Let cool completely and break into pieces. The candy will keep for a week at room temperature or up to a month in the refrigerator- in an air-tight container, of course.

Enjoy. For the record, you don't have to use peanuts. I've heard that Macadamia nuts are a very tasty alternative.

One week until Christmas

Have I mentioned that my husband loves Christmas? He does. Hence our substantial collections of nutcrackers and holiday CDs. I was never a huge Christmas fan growing up as the entire day was usually an experiment in torture around my house. We always had to get up super early because we had to be at my stepdad's family's for breakfast at nine...and we had to rip into the bounty left by Santa and shower and all that before the 45 minute car trip. Then we went to my grandparents' a bit after noon, and everyone was usually tired and stressed by that point. I can't tell you how many times we had new toys taken away on Christmas day because our parents couldn't stand them any longer. It was insanely hectic, and I hope Christmas for S will be much more enjoyable. I actually don't have to hope very much because her father will make sure that she has awesome Christmases.

In getting ready for the holiday, M and I talk and think a lot about traditions we'd like to start or carry on. There are certain movies we always watch (Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Carol, Love Actually, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and It's a Wonderful Life), and I don't see that tradition falling by the wayside as it provides great opportunities for us to relax together during the insanity of the Christmas season. M's family always made and decorated butter cookies together, and we're planning on doing that this weekend while his family is here. I'm also making several of the candies that his mother always made. My family never really had "traditions"- nothing we did together. There are certain things that I remember- like always trying to steal the Rolo's from my brother's stocking because they were like gold in our house or the red tin that my grandmother always kept fudge in. That's pretty much it, though.

Anyway, we watched two of our movies in the past few days, and Otis was very interested in the spooky noises from A Christmas Carol. Of course, we have the George C. Scott version, which is actually a little scary, so we'll have to get a different version in an effort not to terrify our daughter. Last night we watched Christmas Vacation, and our little family was laying in one big pile on the living room floor under a quilt. Otis made sure that he was included by laying on my feet and using M's legs as a pillow. S was kicking the entire time- probably wanting us to give her some space. As we lay there, I couldn't help but imagine all the wonderful Christmas memories that my little family will make in the coming years. I have this vision of M on the sofa with S, sipping cocoa and reading The Night Before Christmas. I imagine how much fun it will be watching her get excited about Santa and seeing all the shiny presents under the tree. Of course, that's after the couple of years she'll likely be terrified of Santa Claus. I look forward to that, too. Amazingly, being with my husband and getting ready to be a mom has changed my attitude toward Christmas. I have to say, I've become a fan.

A lament for weekends

I am quickly realizing that weekends as we know them are almost over. I suppose that's an understatement...more appropriately LIFE as we know it is almost over. No more hanging out in coffee shops when we want to get out of the house for awhile. No more just running out for quick errands. Don't get me wrong, I have no intention of being one of those moms who stays cooped up in the house all the time, afraid to expose my baby to the world outside. I just mean that the ease with which we generally operate is almost a thing of the past. Sometimes I even wonder how walks will work with Otis and the baby. I'm guessing that will be a major adjustment as he still pulls more than I'd like. He just knows that the squirrels in the park want to make friends. I, however, seriously doubt it.

Of course, while thinking about our rapidly dwindling weekends of freedom, I don't know what I'm so worried about. All we've done lately on the weekends is work on getting ready for her anyway. It's not like we're out on the town or anything. For instance, today's activities: after church and the grocery store, M put the acrylic on her dresser since it was 70 degrees outside. He also played with the new camcorder...no way my husband is going to let her be born without full working knowledge of parental gadgetry. Yesterday, he installed the car seat base. We are not exciting people. I can't imagine how having a baby will make us any less exciting. Does everyone go through life thinking that their lives are completely uninteresting to the general population? I'm not implying at all that I don't love our life- I do. This is how we roll.

Speaking of uninteresting- this post just needs to end before I bore everyone to tears. Here are some pictures from the weekend.

How do you spell relief?

Sleep. Sweet, wonderful sleep. I've actually been able to get some the past couple of days, and it has made a huge difference. I am no longer on the constant verge of tears. In fact, yesterday I took the doctor's advice on trying to wear myself out by cleaning out cabinets, doing laundry, swimming, and gallivanting around the mall with hubby. By the time we got home last night, I was pooped. While the first couple of hours of sleep weren't the best, I didn't wake up at all from around midnight until 4:30, which is a record of late. I feel like a new person. I'm not sure what I'll do today...but it will definitely involve making M's favorite Christmas cookies.

I also made myself feel better by making some "executive decisions" about next week's Christmas dinners. M's family will all be here Saturday evening for dinner, and his dad will be here for actual Christmas day, too. I had planned to do the whole shebang Saturday night and something lighter on Christmas day, but I've since reworked the plan. Instead of stressing over an enormous turkey and all the trimmings on Saturday, we'll be having ham and a nice southern dinner (you know, lots of starch and veggies). Then I'll do a turkey breast on Christmas when it's just a few of us. That seems so much easier to me, and I felt a huge relief of anxiety upon making the decision. Besides, I feel like I have a really good excuse to make corn pudding now, which is my favorite...plus Sophie likes broccoli casserole. My mouth is watering already. Yum yum.

So, things are looking up. Plus, I got to see one of the new swim class babies yesterday, which was wonderful, and it just reminded me of how excited I am about S, even if I'm not excited about her incubation vacation inside my tummy. I suppose I can handle it- after all, I am getting her in the end, and I have a hunch I'm going to like her a lot.

Oh, and even though it doesn't start until sundown, Happy Hanukkah!!

Hit and Run

I literally feel like someone hit me with a truck. It's been getting worse for days, and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight for the next five-and-a-half weeks. It's not like I've been comfortable for awhile, but I've managed. You read the blog...I'm not shy about whining my way through this pregnancy. The major problem is: I am suddenly in super hormone mode. I have wanted to cry for a solid three days, and I finally did a little bit today. It didn't help, and it exacerbated my inability to breathe, so I dried it up pretty quickly (especially since I was driving down a busy street at the time- hormonal or not, a traffic accident never helped anyone's mood). It probably doesn't help that I can't sleep, either. The longest I've slept in one stretch since last week is about two hours. I realize that's par for the course when S gets here and needs the mommy-buffet to stay open, but right now I just need some sleep to keep from having a breakdown. I asked my doctor about it today, and he suggested that I try to wear myself out. Seriously, I look like I haven't slept in days, does he think I'm not worn out? If that doesn't work, he suggested Benadryl. I'm giving the situation a few more days before I resort to drugging myself.

Either way, I feel like a wreck of a human being, and it's starting to affect Otis. He needs some serious attention, and he's just not getting it right now. I feel like a terrible doggie-mother, which makes me think I'm going to be a rotten human-mother, too. I need a nap...and some happy thoughts, so if anyone's got some, share!!

I swear I'll stop complaining soon. I mean, eventually I won't be pregnant anymore, right??

TMI

Too much information. It can be a problem. I am an educated, generally well-informed person, but I am truly beginning to believe that there is such a thing as too much information. Or maybe it's the wrong information. Or maybe the right information in the wrong hands. Who knows. Either way, being preggers has made me realize it's probably not best to know too much about some things, and I count giving birth as firmly in that category. This is not to say that one should go into the experience believing that babies come from the stork or that you farm them from under cabbage leaves, but enough is enough sometimes. At least for me. I suppose everyone is different.

There is a "birth resource center" in Lexington called Baby Moon. I've known several people who've taken prenatal yoga there, and most of those mommies-to-be have ended up nervous wrecks about giving birth. Not in the way that I am nervous. I mean, surely everyone is nervous before they pop out a new member of the population. These women all end up taking Bradley birthing classes, which is totally fine, and they all end up passing around videos of natural births and water births and whatnot. All of these options are cool with me. The problem comes in when these women become literally afraid that they won't be able to deliver in the manner they've had drilled into their heads. They get all panicky that they may have to be induced, that they may actually want pain meds, that their birth plans won't cover every possible topic, or that (gasp!) they may need a C-section. I understand not wanting these things to happen. I understand having a preconceived idea of how you want your baby's birth to happen. I mean, I dreamed last night that S just sort of "fell out" right here in the chair I'm sitting in. I only had to push once...when I realized that her entire upper body was out and about. While that would be awesome, I'm not banking on it.

While I'd like to think that S's birth will be completely calm and without complication, I am not counting on it. What I am counting on is having faith in my doctor and my nurses. I am counting on the fact that somewhere in their combined years of medical education and career experience, they have learned how to safely get me, my husband, and my baby through the process with minimal hysteria.

I think that too many people put themselves into information overload. It's comforting to know what you're up against. Unfortunately, I think there may be a fine line between having the knowledge you need to prevent yourself from becoming terrified in the face of labor and knowing too much about things that can go wrong...especially when that information isn't coming directly from your doctor. (For instance, from the lady who teaches the Bradley birth method out of her living room.) It's the same concept as going into major surgery. You want to know what's coming, what will be happening, but if you know too much, you're just going to send yourself into a massive panic attack. I'm trying to avoid becoming too anxious about S's upcoming arrival. I'm trying to remind myself every time I feel anxious that this is all going to work out. Women have been delivering babies for a long time- and mostly without fetal monitors and anesthesia and all the rest of the ob's bag of tricks. Come on, if my mother did it, I know I can do it.

I don't really know why I am going on and on about this. Maybe it's to make myself feel better because sometimes I wonder if I'm not doing something wrong by not enrolling in every possible class and workshop in the city that discusses pregnancy and childbirth. Maybe it's to warn the few of you reading who've not already popped out babies that there's a lot of information out there that can and will freak you out. Who knows...either way, that's what I was thinking about most of the night as I laid awake in bed. I suppose I just thought I'd share.

Oh, and here's a shot of my cartoon belly.

The latest craving

M came home from work Friday night after stopping off at the Liquor Barn for all of the party's libations. He walked in the door positively giddy. He had found the Holy Grail of beer- Harpoon's Winter Warmer, which I'd never heard of and he said he'd been unable to find since leaving Colgate. He proclaimed it his all-time favorite beer, and he just grinned at the boxes. He also brought in Goose Island Christmas Ale and Samuel Adams. I've only missed "tasty beverages" twice since I've been pregnant- once at the tennis tournament in Cincy when I kept passing Sammy A stands and once when we were out to dinner for M's birthday and I smelled his Cabernet. Other than that, I've been happily sans-drink. Looking at all that beer on my kitchen counter was a bit too much for this beer-loving girl to tolerate, though. I don't think I've ever wanted a beer so badly in my life. Is it bad that I want my daughter to be born so I can have a Boston Lager? Probably, so act like I didn't say it!!

Either way, I enjoyed the party while sipping apple punch, and everyone had a good time. It stayed pretty low-key, and even Otis was cooperative (thanks to his Gentle Leader). Here are some pics...

Party time

Tomorrow is the big day for M's work peeps to head over. This morning, at 7am, I made haystacks and mini-cheesecakes. I finished up most of the grocery shopping for the event yesterday, and M is stopping by the Liquor Barn on the way home for wine and beer. I'll need to run out in the morning for a couple of things that weren't available at the store I went to yesterday, but I'm pretty much ready to roll in the hors d'oeuvre and dessert departments. I have to dig out all the platters and wine glasses sometime today and check for water spots, and I still have to dust, vacuum, and give the powder room a once-over. There are other things that could stand to be done, but I don't really care. I realize that for this year only I have the excuse of being 34 weeks pregnant...my house doesn't have to be perfectly spotless.

Then again, I may as well try, right?? Better get started.

Better than TV

I've been able to see my belly move for awhile. We could see it jump and jerk when S would move. In the past week or so, though, she's gotten so much bigger that I can just sit and watch her. It's completely bizarre and surreal. I mean, watching her move around makes me infinitely more aware of the fact that there is a tiny human being inside me. I find myself sitting and staring at my stomach. I think that Otis thinks I'm losing my mind, but sometimes when I'm sitting there, he'll just come rub his wet nose across my belly. I like to think he's saying hi to her.

Speaking of Otis, he got snowed on this morning, which was pretty cute. I would've taken a picture, but hubby has the camera today. Maybe it will keep snowing. For the record, this is just (what all you "northerners" would call) a "dusting" of snow. To me, it's a full-on snowstorm, and I'll be headed to the grocery store in appropriate southern fashion this afternoon. For now, M and I are going to interview a pediatrician, which makes me feel very grown-up and mommy-ish.

Hope everyone is toasty warm, and I wish you were all here so we could share the fudge I made yesterday afternoon!! Hugs to all-

Another one bites the dust

Do you ever sit and think about all of the things you've done in a 24 hour period? Sometimes when I make the mental list, my life seems so completely disjunct that I have to laugh at myself. Does any of this stuff really matter? For example, the last 24-ish hours of my life:

• Cleaned out from under the master bathroom cabinets, throwing away expired medicines and crap we don't use,
• Did some laundry,
  
• Frantically pumped gas and fought traffic from behind a school bus to pick up S's rocking chair while trying to make it to swim class on time,
• Swam like a very pregnant fishie,
• Fought traffic again to pick up dinner and meet M at the hospital for another birth-related class (woo-hoo for the lack of videos),
• Realized, simultaneously with hubby, that "rhythmic breathing" through contractions is not for me as practicing it nearly sent me into hyperventilating panic attacks,
• Actually considered, for the very first time, the possibility of a drug-free childbirth,
• Watched Justin Timberlake open the great spectacle that is the VS Fashion Show and wondered if he knew, upon recording SexyBack, that he'd get to perform/drool at the supermodels in the show,
• Discussed with Otis how he always uses the same tricks to try to get attention and it's getting old (he should learn a new trick),
• Finished the dining chairs,
• Painted the pink stripe on S's dresser,
• Decided to type this asinine list chronicling what I've been doing, and
  
• Realized that no one is likely to still be reading this post.

Everything just seems so bizarrely random and unimportant...I take that back, I count childbirth classes and laundry as fairly important. It just seems like the rest of this stuff is trivial, and when I realize that about 90% of the stuff I do would be considered trivial by about 90% of the general population, I wonder if my life is trivial. Not in a morose, listen to the Cure in a dark room while smoking clove cigarettes kind of way- just in a "how can I make a difference" sort of way. I'm sure that, for the rest of the day, I'll be consumed by that question...entranced in a philosophical state that most of the population would deem trivial.

Three down, three to go

Saturday night we're having all the peeps from M's office over for a little Christmas soirée. In preparation, I made a huge list of things I need to/would like to accomplish before then. One of the tasks was to (finally) reupholster the dining room chairs. Seeing as I had yet to brave the fabric store, I had serious doubts about that particular task being crossed off the list, and I had already resigned myself to not caring. However, I found myself on the same street as the fabric store when I dropped off the dry cleaning yesterday, so I decided to try it out. Lo and behold, I found a fabric that I loved that was on sale!! I bought it, but I still wasn't sure if I'd actually get around to the chairs. This morning, though, I decided to make like a Nike commercial and "just do it." I've finished three of the six chairs, and that's all I'm doing today as my back started stiffening up from being in the floor and I promised hubby I would stop trying to do too much around the house.

So, here's the before and after...













I'm also off today to donate a few things to Habitat for Humanity and to pick up S's rocking chair, which came in a couple of weeks before expected...her room should be totally finished by Saturday, and I'll post nursery pictures then. It feels like things are starting to come together around here, but, then again, if it constantly feels like that, is it really true??

Have to run...Otis just lost his ball under the chair. Happy Tuesday!!

Cross it off the list

Another thing crossed off the list. We've settled on a bag to be used as a diaper bag. Die Frau, thanks for your input...great minds think alike. Hopefully, this will work out!!

Like sands through the hourglass...

Another weekend come and gone. We got home from Fort Fun Saturday afternoon around 5, and we were able to get out and pretty much finish up our Christmas shopping. Yesterday was a pretty typical Sunday for the P's- church, mini-nap, and errands around the house. M got S's dresser started (we should be able to finish it up tomorrow and get it moved into her room), and I put together her stroller and car seat. It's a good thing that I got them put together as they served as critical components to the "Otis gate" we built to keep him away from the freshly painted dresser.

Other than that, life is pretty low-key around here. We were both quite upset with the outcome of every football game played this weekend, (HOW did the Titans beat the Colts?? Why would anyone allow the University of Florida to play for the national championship?? Why couldn't USC just beat UCLA?) and bad football results never make us happy. I think M's fantasy team even got spanked pretty heartily. He's wishing he still had Reggie Bush right about now. All this football disappointment and the team from Alabama made it to the finals of the Amazing Race. The way the last couple of days have gone, the next thing you know, someone will tell me there is no such thing as Santa Claus. At least we get to shop tonight for Angel Tree kids- one of our favorite things to do every year during the holidays. I wish we could shop for all of them!!

Enough moping from me...I hope everyone is keeping warm!