I don't really know what to blog about today. I've been dealing with a lot of stress lately (family, holidays, family, work, family, chores, oh and did I mention family?) and it's all starting to catch up to me. I've been having difficulty sleeping at night, and I've been dealing with major heartburn for the past couple weeks. In addition to that, I had a hell of a time going back to work today after having an amazing long weekend with my husband. So all in all...I don't really have a blog idea in mind.
I suppose all this stress makes me wonder how I will handle things during pregnancy. Doctors say that it is so important to keep your stress levels low, otherwise it puts the baby at risk. But in my new fast-paced adult life, how on earth am I suppose to find the time or right method for keeping my stress at bay? I have tried so many methods before, and what may work at one point may not work again later, where some methods hardly even take off the surface layer of my worries! So how am I ever going to keep myself mellow during pregnancy when, I will be dealing with all of my usual stressors plus the complete hormonal, physical, and mental changes of being pregnant?!? Perhaps I will have to do some research and blog about that for tomorrow. What are good ways for a pregnant woman to keep her stress levels low?....
"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it."--Sydney J Harris. Perhaps this Pickle mama has to relearn how to relax.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Day 108...Jealous
I must admit...I'm jealous of my friend. She and I have been friends since we were babies and, come tomorrow, the doctor will be inducing her labor for her first baby...a little girl! I am so jealous! The timing of her baby is nearly exactly the same timing my husband and I are aiming for for next year, just around Thanksgiving (although, I'm hoping Pickle comes a few days before the holiday). How exciting and nerve racking must it be for her and her husband right now, knowing that they will be having a baby tomorrow?!
I can't wait to be right at that time where we're about to pop with Pickle! All that excitement and anticipation! It'll be even more so for my husband and I since we have agreed to wait until birth to know the baby's gender. I really hope our timing for Pickle will work out perfectly!
Also, yesterday and today we decorated for Christmas while getting all our Christmas gifts together for our family. I can't help but think of how it'll be that first Christmas with our new born Pickle! All the thrill of the holiday and the miracle of our new baby! It will be the best Christmas yet!
"You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a sour Pickle, a fragment of underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!"
I can't wait to be right at that time where we're about to pop with Pickle! All that excitement and anticipation! It'll be even more so for my husband and I since we have agreed to wait until birth to know the baby's gender. I really hope our timing for Pickle will work out perfectly!
Also, yesterday and today we decorated for Christmas while getting all our Christmas gifts together for our family. I can't help but think of how it'll be that first Christmas with our new born Pickle! All the thrill of the holiday and the miracle of our new baby! It will be the best Christmas yet!
"You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a sour Pickle, a fragment of underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!"
Day 107...Blackout Saturday - Daddy Day!
It's another Daddy Day blog!
Saturday was a day of recovery and sticking to ourselves! After a family overload yesterday it was easy to find a reason why we should have a day to ourselves. Beyond that, I was reflecting even more so about not wanting to overstimulate Pickle, and my wife for that matter!
This time next year, assuming all plans go accordingly, my wife will be bursting at the vagoo, or having just popped. With those situations I have to think: do I really want to partake in Black Friday if she cannot come/is in no condition where she should come, or possibly burst? The answer is a simple no. If Pickle just popped, we need to nurture that same environment in which he/she has grown accustomed to over the last nine months. And I couldn't even possibly leave my wife with that to go do shopping of all things.
So, next year's Black Friday will most assuredly be an online edition. And while it is another detour from my family's particular Black Friday, I can't complain! I get to stay in, sleep in, and be with my beautiful wife who will be beyond preggo or so exhausted she'd kill me if I even thought of going out. Pickle will know so fondly the glow of the monitor and the hum of electronics.......But only when he knows it is a privilege and not a right :-P.
Saturday was a day of recovery and sticking to ourselves! After a family overload yesterday it was easy to find a reason why we should have a day to ourselves. Beyond that, I was reflecting even more so about not wanting to overstimulate Pickle, and my wife for that matter!
This time next year, assuming all plans go accordingly, my wife will be bursting at the vagoo, or having just popped. With those situations I have to think: do I really want to partake in Black Friday if she cannot come/is in no condition where she should come, or possibly burst? The answer is a simple no. If Pickle just popped, we need to nurture that same environment in which he/she has grown accustomed to over the last nine months. And I couldn't even possibly leave my wife with that to go do shopping of all things.
So, next year's Black Friday will most assuredly be an online edition. And while it is another detour from my family's particular Black Friday, I can't complain! I get to stay in, sleep in, and be with my beautiful wife who will be beyond preggo or so exhausted she'd kill me if I even thought of going out. Pickle will know so fondly the glow of the monitor and the hum of electronics.......But only when he knows it is a privilege and not a right :-P.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Day 106...Black Friday
Today was Black Friday, the most insane shopping day of the year! I learned something important today....shopping with babies is hard! My family joined my husband and I with our shopping today, including my little nephew. Not only did he seem completely overstimulated by the hundreds of passing shoppers, but he did not like being strapped to his stroller all day, and the big red balloon he got from Red Robins at lunch time seemed to terrify him to no end. Not only did we leave late for shopping because he had to be fed before we left, but we had to stop several times so he could be changed and fed some more. As excited as I am to have Pickle, I will miss the care-free shopping we can do as a couple. At least I now know that, if we go shopping with Pickle, we'll need to let him/her walk a little (if they're old enough to be walking), and not expect to get anywhere fast. So I guess making strict time commitments when you have a baby is just not a good idea. Besides, after just surviving an overstimulating Thanksgiving of being passed around by strange new relatives, taking a wee one like that to a busy mall the following day is, I think, a bit much. I've talked before about the consequences of overstimulating your baby and how that can lead to anxiety. The best thing we can do for Pickle will be to allow him/her to have time to get back into routine and recover from the holiday before tossing him/her into the next big event. In fact...I think that can be said for us all!
WE HAVE PICKLES ON SALE TODAY FOR LOW LOW PRICES!!! TODAY ONLY!!! Sale only valid between 3-4am.
WE HAVE PICKLES ON SALE TODAY FOR LOW LOW PRICES!!! TODAY ONLY!!! Sale only valid between 3-4am.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Day 105...Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Today we are going over to my parent's house to celebrate Thanksgiving. And though these family get-togethers tend to be more of a soap opera than a Hallmark moment, they still make good stories to tell.
Also, today is my last day being on birth control. I read before that, when trying for a baby, it's best to get off of any oral contraceptives at least two months before trying to conceive. This allows the body to regulate the menstrual cycle so that it is easier to track the ovulation period. After being on birth control for so long, it might also take the body a month or two to even ovulate since the oral contraceptive have been restricting the bodies ability to ovulate. That's why, for some women who come right off of birth control, it can take them several months before they can even conceive. Well, since we have a very specific time-frame in mind for when we want to have Pickle, I want to make sure our chances of conception come February/early March are the best they can be. And so....good bye birth control pills! I'm nervous since the pills also helped keep my achene down, plus it helped control my major intense cramps. I'm really hoping this doesn't mean I'll be spending the next few months looking like I'm going through puberty again while cramping uncontrollably come that time of the month. We'll find out....
Otherwise, this year I am thankful for my wonderful supportive husband, my educating job, my cozy little apartment, my crazy family, old and new friends alike, and of course....I'm thankful for each step that brings us closer to Pickle!
"But Thanksgiving is more than eating, Chuck. You heard what Linus was saying out there. Those early Pickle Pilgrims were thankful for what had happened to them, and we should be thankful, too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that's what they mean by 'Thanksgiving,' Charlie Brown."
Today we are going over to my parent's house to celebrate Thanksgiving. And though these family get-togethers tend to be more of a soap opera than a Hallmark moment, they still make good stories to tell.
Also, today is my last day being on birth control. I read before that, when trying for a baby, it's best to get off of any oral contraceptives at least two months before trying to conceive. This allows the body to regulate the menstrual cycle so that it is easier to track the ovulation period. After being on birth control for so long, it might also take the body a month or two to even ovulate since the oral contraceptive have been restricting the bodies ability to ovulate. That's why, for some women who come right off of birth control, it can take them several months before they can even conceive. Well, since we have a very specific time-frame in mind for when we want to have Pickle, I want to make sure our chances of conception come February/early March are the best they can be. And so....good bye birth control pills! I'm nervous since the pills also helped keep my achene down, plus it helped control my major intense cramps. I'm really hoping this doesn't mean I'll be spending the next few months looking like I'm going through puberty again while cramping uncontrollably come that time of the month. We'll find out....
Otherwise, this year I am thankful for my wonderful supportive husband, my educating job, my cozy little apartment, my crazy family, old and new friends alike, and of course....I'm thankful for each step that brings us closer to Pickle!
"But Thanksgiving is more than eating, Chuck. You heard what Linus was saying out there. Those early Pickle Pilgrims were thankful for what had happened to them, and we should be thankful, too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that's what they mean by 'Thanksgiving,' Charlie Brown."
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Day 104...Kitchen Catastrophe
It was a short day at work today. We had a CPR and First Aid training, and were out of there by noon. As soon as I could, I set to work on baking some Thanksgiving goodies. This year, I am in charge of making my family's traditional dessert, pretzel jello salad. It may sound gross but it's amazing! I am also in charge of making my famous spinach dip. In addition to that, I also wanted to make a tofu pumpkin pie for my husband and I tonight. You see; we started a new tradition where, the day before Thanksgiving, my husband and I eat chow mein, pumpkin pie straight from the tin and only with spoons, all while watching the Ninja Turtle movies. Crazy right? It was how we spent our first Thanksgiving time together up at the college. Since we didn't have any dishes except for a couple of spoons, we had to eat the pie straight from the tin. And as for the chow mein, the college commons was closed for the holiday so we went to the nearest grocery store and bought chow mein for dinner. To explain the Ninja Turtle movies....well...we're big kids. Thus the crazy tradition started.
Anyway, back to cooking...things didn't go exactly as I had envisioned them. To start, I burnt the crusts for the pretzel jello salad, setting off the smoke alarms all through the house. I followed the recipe exactly so I have no idea what happened there! So I turned down the oven temp and tried again. Luckily I had bought more than enough supplies!
Next...the tofu pumpkin pie. The recipe said to blend the tofu and pumpkin puree in the blender, so I did. But the mixture was a bit thick and not blending so well. So I opened the top and tried to poke it with a big spoon to help get the suction going. Well....it worked alright. It worked so well it sucked the spoon right into the blender! My big wooden spoon....in the blender....I stood there for a brief moment frantically mashing the buttons, watching as the spoon danced in the blender before I found the off button. For the next half hour I sifted my hands through the blended goop, extracting any chunk of wood I could find. Call me crazy but I still cooked it. Let's just hope my pumpkin pie doesn't turn into pumpkin surprise...eat at your own risk.
And lastly, my spinach dip turned out more potent then planned, thanks to a couple of garlic cloves that were a little stronger than expected. My only hope is that the crackers we'll be dipping with will help to kill some of the sting.
So there you go, three kitchen catastrophes that, luckily, gave me more of a laugh than anything else. Thank God for good music that helped keep my spirit high.
Pickle's wooden pumpkin pie...let's not make that a new tradition. :-p
Anyway, back to cooking...things didn't go exactly as I had envisioned them. To start, I burnt the crusts for the pretzel jello salad, setting off the smoke alarms all through the house. I followed the recipe exactly so I have no idea what happened there! So I turned down the oven temp and tried again. Luckily I had bought more than enough supplies!
Next...the tofu pumpkin pie. The recipe said to blend the tofu and pumpkin puree in the blender, so I did. But the mixture was a bit thick and not blending so well. So I opened the top and tried to poke it with a big spoon to help get the suction going. Well....it worked alright. It worked so well it sucked the spoon right into the blender! My big wooden spoon....in the blender....I stood there for a brief moment frantically mashing the buttons, watching as the spoon danced in the blender before I found the off button. For the next half hour I sifted my hands through the blended goop, extracting any chunk of wood I could find. Call me crazy but I still cooked it. Let's just hope my pumpkin pie doesn't turn into pumpkin surprise...eat at your own risk.
And lastly, my spinach dip turned out more potent then planned, thanks to a couple of garlic cloves that were a little stronger than expected. My only hope is that the crackers we'll be dipping with will help to kill some of the sting.
So there you go, three kitchen catastrophes that, luckily, gave me more of a laugh than anything else. Thank God for good music that helped keep my spirit high.
Pickle's wooden pumpkin pie...let's not make that a new tradition. :-p
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Day 103...Guitar Hero
I brought my guitar to work today for the first time. It was so much fun! I got to start off the morning circle time with several songs, and the kids loved it! It's been awhile since I've played, not to mention my singing voice sounded a little funny since I've been battling a cold, but everything just came flowing back to me! My guitar is so much a part of me, it just felt right to have it there.
Later at afternoon circle, I let the kids each take a turn strumming the guitar. They were mesmerized, it was so cute! And they got to explore the guitar case with it's hard exterior and fuzzy insides. :) We sang a few more songs during the afternoon circle too until it was time for them to go home.
Otherwise, the day had gone alright, but it was still a bit unsettled for the few kids that we actually had today. But luckily the guitar came to save the day! I think that was the first time I had every single kid sitting quietly around the circle, just waiting to hear the guitar. So I decided to leave the guitar in the classroom so that I can bring it out again next week when we all come back from the Thanksgiving break. Even my lead mentioned that she was a little jealous of my guitar playing, and wished that her circle times were as fun as mine. I win!
“Any problem you can't solve with a good guitar, is either, unsolvable or isn't a problem.” Who knows....maybe someday Pickle will be a guitar hero! ;)
Later at afternoon circle, I let the kids each take a turn strumming the guitar. They were mesmerized, it was so cute! And they got to explore the guitar case with it's hard exterior and fuzzy insides. :) We sang a few more songs during the afternoon circle too until it was time for them to go home.
Otherwise, the day had gone alright, but it was still a bit unsettled for the few kids that we actually had today. But luckily the guitar came to save the day! I think that was the first time I had every single kid sitting quietly around the circle, just waiting to hear the guitar. So I decided to leave the guitar in the classroom so that I can bring it out again next week when we all come back from the Thanksgiving break. Even my lead mentioned that she was a little jealous of my guitar playing, and wished that her circle times were as fun as mine. I win!
“Any problem you can't solve with a good guitar, is either, unsolvable or isn't a problem.” Who knows....maybe someday Pickle will be a guitar hero! ;)
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