Monday, March 29, 2010

Pregnancy Updates and More

I needed to blog! So The whole pregnancy thing is going great, I couldn’t have found a more perfect man in the whole world to have a child with! Mike is so utterly supportive, he is better than I have ever dreamed the father of my child would be. He is so involved and loving. He takes care of me and talks to our little girl often. I feel so completely blessed to have him! Even when I’m afraid, he talks me through it and makes me feel like it will all be alright after all. He quite simply is the best! I loved him before, but man, this takes my love for him to astonishing new heights! He is so perfectly made for me!

On other baby-related subjects, I feel my little girl kick often. Sometimes it happens mostly at night, while other days she is awake and moving all day. But she usually isn’t active throughout a 24 hour period, she has her “down time” half of the day one way or the other. I love feeling her move around, and I’ve told several people how much I’ll miss her kicking me when she arrives. Mike wants to hold her and meet her already and so he won’t miss me being pregnant because he’ll get to participate. I’ll like that as well, but it is something about growing a new little half-you inside yourself that I’ll miss. Mike reminds me not to get too used to it because he can’t really keep me pregnant all of the time! Shucks, lol! My favorite part about her already is that she is half mine, and half Mike’s. She is our love in a tangible and real live form. I can’t get over that, and maybe I never will, but I think that is a good thing. We are excited to meet her! I'm 25 weeks along now so in 15 more weeks and we should meet her, if she is on time that is.

Naming our baby girl: Mike and I are keeping her name to ourselves when or if we decide upon it. We’ll tell everyone when she arrives, but not before. We are doing this to minimize peoples’ criticism of our choice. We love her name, but other people have opinions that probably won’t agree. Even with simple names like “Jane” there would be one person who wouldn’t like it because they once knew a Jane who was a jerk. I can basically guarantee you haven’t heard the names we like unless in a past life you lived in the 14th century in Ireland, Scotland or Wales (unless of course you are obsessed like me with obscure names from those countries). The point is, the names we like aren’t spelled phonetically, nor are they English-reader friendly, but they are unique for today and sound beautiful. We’ve agreed on 4 names with middle names that we like best. But we aren’t telling even our own families these, so don’t ask.

Last subject to do with babies: I have discovered that 5 of my friends, relatives and acquaintances are also pregnant! I’m so happy for you all! It must be in the water system or something! Even Mike’s sister Elisa is having a baby boy this year (he is due a month after mine and Mike’s baby)! It is really fun to know that so many of my friends are going through, went through or are about to go through what I am! It half sucks that the limelight isn’t totally on my pregnancy, but also it is a relief that it isn’t! I’m just happy to get to share this experience with so many girls! Tell me if there are some more pregnancies I am unaware of because I love the news!

Different subject: I don’t know what to do exactly about work, college and the new baby. I can’t really decide now anyway because I don’t know how I’ll feel when she gets here. I don’t know if I’ll deliver her without complications or via C-Section. I don’t know the recovery time I’ll need, etc. Everyone is different so I have to put some plans on hold. I do, however, have a few choices.

My choices are: A) return to school in the fall, don’t attempt to work but instead use my financial aid money and loans to keep me afloat while I try to keep up with school. B) I could skip the fall semester and try to go back to school later on if possible (not likely. If I’m out of school even a semester, I’ll get used to it and I’d have to have a full-time job, which would make me dependent upon the money. If I leave school it could be years or never before I return to college. If I didn’t have financial aid to return it would be even longer because I’d have to pay for college out of my own pocket. How could I afford to go to school again after a full-time job hopefully with benefits? School wouldn’t be practical nor plausible) or lastly C) I could get a full-time job (which I’ve already applied to one) with benefits and leave school for a prolonged period of time, possibly to never return. I am really tired of school. I sort of lean toward working full-time and not having any more blasted homework to have to think about after work. Work would be for work-related thoughts, home would be for family and fun. It is appealing! Three options, and I have no idea the best one!

Even with those options there are slight variations like timing. I could get a full-time job now, or in 6 months. I could quit school now (if a job offer arose) or not at all. Keep in mind that I will graduate with 2 Associate’s Degrees in May. Do I really need to keep this school thing up? What is the best choice? In reality, I’m letting God figure out the major stuff. He’ll open the doors to the path I should take, and it’ll be obvious what I should do when I see it. For now, I’m in the dark but soon I’ll be enlightened.

Pregnancy Updates and More

I needed to blog! So The whole pregnancy thing is going great, I couldn’t have found a more perfect man in the whole world to have a child with! Mike is so utterly supportive, he is better than I have ever dreamed the father of my child would be. He is so involved and loving. He takes care of me and talks to our little girl often. I feel so completely blessed to have him! Even when I’m afraid, he talks me through it and makes me feel like it will all be alright after all. He quite simply is the best! I loved him before, but man, this takes my love for him to astonishing new heights! He is so perfectly made for me!

On other baby-related subjects, I feel my little girl kick often. Sometimes it happens mostly at night, while other days she is awake and moving all day. But she usually isn’t active throughout a 24 hour period, she has her “down time” half of the day one way or the other. I love feeling her move around, and I’ve told several people how much I’ll miss her kicking me when she arrives. Mike wants to hold her and meet her already and so he won’t miss me being pregnant because he’ll get to participate. I’ll like that as well, but it is something about growing a new little half-you inside yourself that I’ll miss. Mike reminds me not to get too used to it because he can’t really keep me pregnant all of the time! Shucks, lol! My favorite part about her already is that she is half mine, and half Mike’s. She is our love in a tangible and real live form. I can’t get over that, and maybe I never will, but I think that is a good thing. We are excited to meet her! I'm 25 weeks so in 15 more weeks and we should meet her, if she is on time that is.

Naming our baby girl: Mike and I are keeping her name to ourselves when or if we decide upon it. We’ll tell everyone when she arrives, but not before. We are doing this to minimize peoples’ criticism of our choice. We love her name, but other people have opinions that probably won’t agree. Even with simple names like “Jane” there would be one person who wouldn’t like it because they once knew a Jane who was a jerk. I can basically guarantee you haven’t heard the names we like unless in a past life you lived in the 14th century in Ireland, Scotland or Wales (unless of course you are obsessed like me with obscure names from those countries). The point is, the names we like aren’t spelled phonetically, nor are they English-reader friendly, but they are unique for today and sound beautiful. We’ve agreed on 4 names with middle names that we like best. But we aren’t telling even our own families these, so don’t ask.

Last subject to do with babies: I have discovered that 5 of my friends, relatives and acquaintances are also pregnant! I’m so happy for you all! It must be in the water system or something! Even Mike’s sister Elisa is having a baby boy this year (he is due a month after mine and Mike’s baby)! It is really fun to know that so many of my friends are going through, went through or are about to go through what I am! It half sucks that the limelight isn’t totally on my pregnancy, but also it is a relief that it isn’t! I’m just happy to get to share this experience with so many girls! Tell me if there are some more pregnancies I am unaware of because I love the news!

Different subject: I don’t know what to do exactly about work, college and the new baby. I can’t really decide now anyway because I don’t know how I’ll feel when she gets here. I don’t know if I’ll deliver her without complications or via C-Section. I don’t know the recovery time I’ll need, etc. Everyone is different so I have to put some plans on hold. I do, however, have a few choices.

My choices are: A) return to school in the fall, don’t attempt to work but instead use my financial aid money and loans to keep me afloat while I try to keep up with school. B) I could skip the fall semester and try to go back to school later on if possible (not likely. If I’m out of school even a semester, I’ll get used to it and I’d have to have a full-time job, which would make me dependent upon the money. If I leave school it could be years or never before I return to college. If I didn’t have financial aid to return it would be even longer because I’d have to pay for college out of my own pocket. How could I afford to go to school again after a full-time job hopefully with benefits? School wouldn’t be practical nor plausible) or lastly C) I could get a full-time job (which I’ve already applied to one) with benefits and leave school for a prolonged period of time, possibly to never return. I am really tired of school. I sort of lean toward working full-time and not having any more blasted homework to have to think about after work. Work would be for work-related thoughts, home would be for family and fun. It is appealing! Three options, and I have no idea the best one!

Even with those options there are slight variations like timing. I could get a full-time job now, or in 6 months. I could quit school now (if a job offer arose) or not at all. Keep in mind that I will graduate with 2 Associate’s Degrees in May. Do I really need to keep this school thing up? What is the best choice? In reality, I’m letting God figure out the major stuff. He’ll open the doors to the path I should take, and it’ll be obvious what I should do when I see it. For now, I’m in the dark but soon I’ll be enlightened.

Pregnancy Updates and More

I needed to blog! So The whole pregnancy thing is going great, I couldn’t have found a more perfect man in the whole world to have a child with! Mike is so utterly supportive, he is better than I have ever dreamed the father of my child would be. He is so involved and loving. He takes care of me and talks to our little girl often. I feel so completely blessed to have him! Even when I’m afraid, he talks me through it and makes me feel like it will all be alright after all. He quite simply is the best! I loved him before, but man, this takes my love for him to astonishing new heights! He is so perfectly made for me!

On other baby-related subjects, I feel my little girl kick often. Sometimes it happens mostly at night, while other days she is awake and moving all day. But she usually isn’t active throughout a 24 hour period, she has her “down time” half of the day one way or the other. I love feeling her move around, and I’ve told several people how much I’ll miss her kicking me when she arrives. Mike wants to hold her and meet her already and so he won’t miss me being pregnant because he’ll get to participate. I’ll like that as well, but it is something about growing a new little half-you inside yourself that I’ll miss. Mike reminds me not to get too used to it because he can’t really keep me pregnant all of the time! Shucks, lol! My favorite part about her already is that she is half mine, and half Mike’s. She is our love in a tangible and real live form. I can’t get over that, and maybe I never will, but I think that is a good thing. We are excited to meet her! 15 more weeks and we should meet her, if she is on time that is.

Naming our baby girl: Mike and I are keeping her name to ourselves when or if we decide upon it. We’ll tell everyone when she arrives, but not before. We are doing this to minimize peoples’ criticism of our choice. We love her name, but other people have opinions that probably won’t agree. Even with simple names like “Jane” there would be one person who wouldn’t like it because they once knew a Jane who was a jerk. I can basically guarantee you haven’t heard the names we like unless in a past life you lived in the 14th century in Ireland, Scotland or Wales (unless of course you are obsessed like me with obscure names from those countries). The point is, the names we like aren’t spelled phonetically, nor are they English-reader friendly, but they are unique for today and sound beautiful. We’ve agreed on 4 names with middle names that we like best. But we aren’t telling even our own families these, so don’t ask.

Last subject to do with babies: I have discovered that 5 of my friends, relatives and acquaintances are also pregnant! I’m so happy for you all! It must be in the water system or something! Even Mike’s sister Elisa is having a baby boy this year (he is due a month after mine and Mike’s baby)! It is really fun to know that so many of my friends are going through, went through or are about to go through what I am! It half sucks that the limelight isn’t totally on my pregnancy, but also it is a relief that it isn’t! I’m just happy to get to share this experience with so many girls! Tell me if there are some more pregnancies I am unaware of because I love the news!

Different subject: I don’t know what to do exactly about work, college and the new baby. I can’t really decide now anyway because I don’t know how I’ll feel when she gets here. I don’t know if I’ll deliver her without complications or via C-Section. I don’t know the recovery time I’ll need, etc. Everyone is different so I have to put some plans on hold. I do, however, have a few choices.

My choices are: A) return to school in the fall, don’t attempt to work but instead use my financial aid money and loans to keep me afloat while I try to keep up with school. B) I could skip the fall semester and try to go back to school later on if possible (not likely. If I’m out of school even a semester, I’ll get used to it and I’d have to have a full-time job, which would make me dependent upon the money. If I leave school it could be years or never before I return to college. If I didn’t have financial aid to return it would be even longer because I’d have to pay for college out of my own pocket. How could I afford to go to school again after a full-time job hopefully with benefits? School wouldn’t be practical nor plausible) or lastly C) I could get a full-time job (which I’ve already applied to one) with benefits and leave school for a prolonged period of time, possibly to never return. I am really tired of school. I sort of lean toward working full-time and not having any more blasted homework to have to think about after work. Work would be for work-related thoughts, home would be for family and fun. It is appealing! Three options, and I have no idea the best one!

Even with those options there are slight variations like timing. I could get a full-time job now, or in 6 months. I could quit school now (if a job offer arose) or not at all. Keep in mind that I will graduate with 2 Associate’s Degrees in May. Do I really need to keep this school thing up? What is the best choice? In reality, I’m letting God figure out the major stuff. He’ll open the doors to the path I should take, and it’ll be obvious what I should do when I see it. For now, I’m in the dark but soon I’ll be enlightened.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Expecting!


I had wanted to do my blogging yesterday because it would be the 2nd anniversary of Mike and I meeting up at my “Star Wars” Marathon. If Mike hadn’t a) seen me walk past Tarpley’s sometime in late January/early February 2008 b) found me on MySpace c) responded to my silly bulletin of “Will you be my Valentine?” and then finally d) responded to my bulletins advertising an invitation to anyone for my “Star Wars” Marathon on March 1st, 2008 and then actually showing up then we very well wouldn’t be together now! It is funny how chain of events work, and I love to think that it all began around 2 years ago! Mike and I might not be expecting this little girl right now and life would definitely not be as perfect as I feel it is now. So little one, thank the internet, daddy’s eyes and my timing, as well as a series called “Star Wars” for you being alive right now!

(By the way the baby isn’t moving around much anymore, she is a fairly still child even now. She hasn’t kept me up except once. She plays games with me and Mike now already, she will kick if she is being left alone, but if you touch my stomach even lightly, she knows and will be totally still. She will resume kicking me if and when the hand is removed! She doesn’t like us to feel her, or she feels cramped by the warmth and darkness of my or Mike’s hand. Silly little girl! We don’t even press hard, or when we do press firmly, it is still the same, she reacts to the less space and stops moving around instead of trying to get us to move. I wonder how she’ll be when she is born? Quiet and still like she is now? Loud and hyper active? Calm and peaceful? I just hope she is obedient and calm, with an understanding that no means no. I bet if she is really actually playing games with us by her non-movement now that she’ll be playful as well.)

Mike and I have talked about how happy we are to be with one another a lot lately. Mike says he wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else. I told him that I always pictured having a baby with someone I love and who wants to be involved with me and the baby every step of the way (And Mike has been there, the whole time he has. Even when things were rocky he was still there, he has been to every appointment I've had for our baby and he has been such a rock for me to cling to) I told him recently that I used to think that I could handle being pregnant and being a single mom on my own, but once I really was pregnant that I discovered that I don’t think I really could. I need Mike’s support, and it is very different than other peoples’ support. I told him how much I appreciate it and he told me he has to be there, and he wants to be and that he isn’t leaving me or our little girl. I felt like crying because I hope it is true, and it sounds so utterly wonderful.



So as of today I am 21 weeks along, we found out last Wednesday that we are indeed having a little baby girl come July. She is due July 10th (right smack-dab in between the 8th which is Mike's birthday and the 12th which is my mom's birthday). Mike and I both really wanted a little girl, he has told me since we found out that almost all of his friends and family were to some degree surprised that he wanted a girl as well. But we just have wanted a girl first, ever since we began talking about kids a while back. We are happy God has granted us a girl and everything is good with us and with her so far. It feels like a dream to me sometimes, I feel just so incredibly blessed to have Mike by my side and to be getting my little daughter now. My dreams are coming true it seems, and I feel so lucky and blessed! Maybe I'll write more later, but that is all for now! Thanks for taking the time to read this update!