Silly Kitties
So I’ve caught my silly kitties doing some very silly things lately.
First of all, i noticed a dirty spot in my window that is shaped exactly like my Big Boy, Mungojerrie. It even has ears.
His decorating was not limited to that window. This is what i found this morning when i woke up:
BUT the most amazing picture i have is this one. I finally have photographic evidence of my potty trained cat (he potty trained himself because he was tired of me not cleaning out his litter box)
I thought him the smartest kitty in the world until i caught him drinking out of the same toilet a couple days later
Ah well, at least he shares with his sister. It would be funnier if he didn’t sit in the bathroom and yowl until one of us goes in to “freshen his fountain” so he could get a clean drink. Be normal, Cat!
More Pregnancy Stuff
feel free to ignore, i’m just processing
Yesterday i got a call from my doctors office saying that i failed my 1 hour glucose test. My numbers were “high” and now i need to go in for the 3 hour glucose test. I was having very big feelings about it. I “barely passed” the 3 hour in my last pregnancy and i was just 18yrs old then. My mom has (insulin dependent) type 2 diabetes so it worries me. I’ve had the signs of “pre-diabetes” for years and I’m just a bit anxious. On the plus side, perhaps my doc could give me a script for more testing strips so i won’t have to pay for them. I’ve only been testing when i’ve felt “off” because it was a machine given to me by my mom.
I very nearly posted this as my facebook status:
| Dear baby: please stop kicking my cervix. It is disconcerting. Love, Mommy P.S. I don’t like the waistband on my jeans any more than you do. Leave it alone. |
but worried it might disturb some of my male friends
I feel more confident about my birth experience this time. Last time i was induced at 41 weeks because “thats how the dr does it” and i’ve got a bit more of a backbone now (and i’m more confident they’ve dated the pregnancy correctly) I’m also delivering at a different (more birth friendly) hospital. Its a lot closer than the last one when you factor in traffic (only 5% of the journey is driving in the city) so no worries about getting stuck in traffic if i stay home until the last minute.
I was planning on getting a doula this time around but they canceled the “birthing event” thing in my area so i won’t have a chance to meet one without cold calling/e-mailing and i wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that. My SIL is going to come with me for sure (even though she doesn’t have kids of her own) and i’m thinking of inviting my MIL as well, but i’ve got to think about it some more. She’s way too cheery all the time, i might want to hit her. I’m gonna have to ask how many people they allow in the room…
I’m looking forward to not having to take care of anything but myself in the 
hospital but i worry about my son. He doesn’t do well with change and he has never spent the night away from us and i worry about how he’ll while i’m gone. Well he has spent the night with my SIL a couple times but she is unable to take care of him while i’m in the hospital because she’s due with her baby 2 weeks after i am (and is planning a cesarean so she might go early) he’ll be staying with my MIL and FIL but if my MIL comes with me while i labor, then i’m not sure Caleb will do well with just his Papa there…
I’ve started on the hypnobabies home study coarse. I feel like a weirdo for admitting that. I don’t think that I’m going to hypnotize myself into having a completely painless childbirth experience I’m hoping that me feeling more in control during labor will help Hubby not freak out so much. I’m the kind of person who likes to process things inwardly so I have high hopes. I’m having a hard time keeping awake to listen to the lessons though.
i’m constantly amazed at how strong this little guy is. He can kick HARD. He hasn’t hit anything vital yet (besides my cervix) but he’s got some muscles in there for only being 2-ish lbs.
I’ve been exercising more this pregnancy than before. I’ve been sitting on my “birth ball” which is helping me not have as much back pain. Doing regular stretching in the morning is helping too. As of yesterday my wedding ring no longer fits me and i feel very naked without it right now, but it wasn’t completely unexpected.
Caleb is getting VERY excited about the baby. We bought a stroller and carseat last week (well, my Mama bought it for us) and now Caleb says the baby can come out. He was able to feel him kick the other day and i very excitedly telling EVERYBODY the baby’s name, even though it is supposed to be a secret. Ah well, at least he’s cute.
as for us, we’re not exactly ready for the baby to come now. We need to accumulate a lot more baby things first, but we’re getting there.
Credit Card Debt
I was just looking back and trying to see how it all happened for me.
We used our credit card for money we needed upfront for things that we never saved for. Winter clothes for our son who outgrew all last years, car repairs, medical co-pays, etc. We were never able to save because we were living JUST above our means.
It wasn’t HUGE amount all at once but it was a lot.
when we first got the credit card the plan was to pay it off at the end of every month. And then after a few months it was ALMOST paid off every single month. I was basically just living above our means, just barely, i didn’t think it was a problem. then we would make a big purchase (we couldn’t save any money because we spent all that came in) and plan to pay it off with our tax refund but then another emergency situation would happen (our car needed repairs, etc.) and we had to use our refund for that so the credit card debt stayed.
then i wanted to put it away but i never fixed my spending habits. it would be the end of the month and i would have no money for food and an empty fridge and we would HAVE to use it to feed the family (even if it was CAUSED by my lack of forethought in the beginning of the month)
etc. etc.
In total we have about 3,000 in credit card debt. To say its a thorn in our side seems kind of tame but that’s what it is. A constant, nagging worry of ours that we can’t stop thinking about for very long. Our #1 goal (even before replacing our 14 year old clunker and buying a house so we can fit our new baby) is to get the credit card paid off. 90% of our tax refund is going toward that debt or as a wise mama once said “going to pay for things i already bought”.
Hubby wants to put it all towards the debt but i want to have a small savings account so that if something unexpected does happen that we wouldn’t have to use the credit cards again. He just doesn’t want to pay the credit card company any more money and says we’ll save faster once the credit card is payed off and i see his point but i still want some savings in the bank…
Its just not fair
My great aunt Jean died this weekend. I haven’t seen her in a long time but i miss her a lot already. We grew up very poor and it was her and her sons who made my childhood so wonderful. One year when we didn’t have any presents under the tree, they came to visit us with a Uhaul full of toys. Or they’d take us down to southern California to visit them and even if we’d only go to the park it made things special.
Even though they were on a limited budget they still made the trip up here for my wedding and to see Caleb after he was born. I have “closer” relatives living only 40 miles away who still haven’t met either my son or my husband.
it breaks my heart that i won’t be able to go down for her funeral. Hubby can’t take off time for work and anyway, our car won’t make it (we hesitate even taking it to town)
It just really sucks.
6 Months Pregnant
Things are looking good here. I had another dr’s appointment today, Caleb was out of school so i took him with me and he was able to hear the baby’s heartbeat. He asked me if it hurt. I told him it didn’t and we showed him to soft end of the Doppler so he could see.
I think he finally “gets it” now that we’ve told him the baby’s name. We went shopping for some new clothes for him and every time a shirt was too small he said that it was for his baby brother.
I am 24 weeks along (i am due on May 30th) and they already want to see me every 2 weeks. Time is going by so, so quickly.
After my appointment we went out for breakfast with his Great Grandma and did some shopping. Walked about a mile and a half today total. I can’t believe that i have all my energy back (or at least it seems that way, i hope i didn’t over-do it)
I’ve gained 4 lbs in the past 3 weeks *gasp* but overall that brings my weight gain total to…4 lbs. so not much to worry about
My back hasn’t been bothering me as much as it has been. I’ve been stretching and sitting on my exercise ball when at the computer. Also i go for a half mile walk (5 days a week to drop off Caleb at school) so that helps too.
So basically all is well over here 
Suprize Inspection
so this morning i get a loud knock on my door I was wearing sweatpants and a tank top (but hey at least i was wearing pants) and it was my apartment manager. She came by because they’re dropping off a new dishwasher (my last one had been dead for about a month). I was so not expecting it.
The house wasn’t something you’d see on “hoarders” but it was really bad. MY clothes were overflowing in the hamper (with a really racy bra right on top) and there were pillows and blankets all over the couch. I desperately need to vacuum (especially around the rat cage) and i had dirty dishes on the counter :blush
I felt so lame, especially since, while it wasn’t horrible, i had been doing SO much better cleaning the house and this was a “bad day” comparatively.
*sigh* So i had to move a lot of furniture out of the way to be able to get the new dishwasher into the kitchen which exposed all new kinds of messes i didn’t know where under there. Ugh. I just feel so embarrassed that my landlord had to see all that.
She didn’t say a single word to me but now I’m panic cleaning the house for when the maintenance guy comes over to actually install the dishwasher. I’m so lame. I even called my step-dad to come over to remove some old planters from my front yard today. I’m on a cleaning/decluttering spree right now.
Well not NOW, right now I’m telling all you about it, LOL. But i will be in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
Sort of Freaking Out Today
we had another appointment today, 21 weeks, everything is well over here. I’m feeling the baby kick and move more consistently and not just when I’m laying down in bed. I’ll get a good kick or two when I’m up and doing stuff in the kitchen too. He’s a strong little guy, i don’t think i was even feeling movement when Caleb was this age and yesterday hubby was able to feel the baby kick.
I’m already nesting. I’ve been working on organizing the house and my time. I’m starting to get a bit ridiculous though, last night I was in the middle of my favorite movie when i had to go for yet another potty break. While in the bathroom i noticed the floor boards were very dusty and so i had to clean them right then and there. I missed a lot of my movie.
Today the doctor told me to come back in 3 weeks. 3 weeks! That means that my pregnancy is half over and things are winding down. Its a small reminder that time is ticking down towards the birth of this little one. I’m starting to panic. We have almost nothing for this baby. We have a sling and a onesie and that’s it. This past weekend we went out with the express purpose of buying something for the little guy but everything was out of season we we came home with something for Hubby, something for me, and something for Caleb instead. Nothing for the baby.
I’m starting to get anxious about the birth and having things ready for the baby, but it will all work out. Childbirth is freaking me out today. Not because it scares me in itself but because i know it scares my husband. he was so scared last time that he freaked me out. He just sat in the corner like he was watching me die and kept asking me if i wanted drugs. I started talking about childbirth classes but hubby says that they are useless and doesn’t want to go, even if our insurance pays for it completely. Maybe if i find one that gives away a free car seat he would be willing to go… I can’t think of a single person within 200 miles that i would want to have with me at the birth, i hope hubby figures something out. Doulas are expensive and i wouldn’t even know where to get a good recommendation for one.
I’m looking into the best way to freeze food for when the baby comes so i won’t have to cook. I was going to invest in some bake and take pans but i got a great idea about lining the pan with foil, freezing my meal and then just slipping out the food once frozen and wrapping it in more foil. When its time to cook it, i can just stick it into the pan that i froze it in. Those ladies at GCM are geniuses.
More good news, Hubby finally got his raise. We are so very blessed. Unfortunately it means that I’m going to have to shop around for new insurance as we no longer qualify for government cheese. But besides that and the worry that i will be stuck pregnant and without insurance, we are really blessed.
Hubby is talking like he wants to move into a house between now and June which makes me nervous because i’m not a big mover. I’ve moved like 5 times in my entire life and neither one of my boys does well with change.
Behind all my freaking out though, things are going very well for our family and we are very blessed. I just have to keep reminding myself of that before i go overboard with all this worrying. Apparently it does run in the family…
20 Week Ultrasound
Our big ultrasound was yesterday.
Everything looks good. The first thing the ultrasound check wanted to check was the gender, and he showed us that right away. This is a shot from the bottom up. his butt is on the left, and his two legs are going sideways and his boy parts in between.
and a close up (so clear it kind of freaked me out, LOL I’ll be taking this one down in a couple days, it seems kind of private)
then he promptly curled into a ball and faced toward my spine and didn’t turn for the whole rest of the time. The tech poked and prodded him and he wouldn’t budge. I laid on my side, hoping he would tumble down to where there was more room but he stuck out his legs and leaned against the uterine walls so he wouldn’t fall. I got up and jiggled a bit hoping it would get him to move but he wouldn’t budge.
We were finally able to get a few good measurements but we weren’t able to see his face.
here is a profile
and his little fist
It was a fun day. He looks to be in good health and he moved a whole lot, even if he wouldn’t turn for us. His size was exactly where it should be according to my first ultrasound, they guessed his weight would be around 11oz (which means that he’s a bit more chubby than most babies his age)
It’s fun to finally know and be able to start planning/buying. we have a name picked out already. Hubby had full say over the name but he actually picked out the same exact name that i had picked out a few years ago when we were still dreaming about another baby
I can’t wait to meet him.
My Homemaking Journal
Its not completely done but I updated it and it is completely functional right now The pictures are click-able thumbnails.
first of all, it doesn’t work without learning how to use my calendar. Even when i fall out of doing my routines i still remember my calendar. I check my calendar every night before bed so i can prepare for the next day and every morning after breakfast to remind myself what’s coming next. It hangs on the wall in my kitchen where i always see it. I always buy those extra big calendars with no pictures in it and extra large day things to write things down in. I write down appointments and milestones and sometimes i use it as a sort of scrapbook of the month. I print out pictures and put them up there or I tape up some of Caleb’s schoolwork.
Last year’s calendar, because its early in the month and empty now
I want to get a new binder because this cover desperately needs to be updated (most recent picture is from 3 years ago), but i like my little collage.
I have a pencil pouch in there that holds some pens, my checkbook, some stamps and my mommy cards. They’re in there because i lose them anytime i put them anywhere else. Right after that is my emergency info page that has “You are HERE” at the top and my address/phone numbers, the number to poison control and our emergency contact people. It also has a note at the bottom that says where copies of our medical forms can be found. No picture because its got personal information on it.
Next i have a page that on the left has a huge sign that says no whining and on the next side has my Emergency Quick Clean list which is what i do when the house is a disaster that i don’t know where to start to dig it out of its hole
Then there is a divider and then my (vague) weekly schedule of what i focus on which day
| Monday: Weekly Home Blessing 1. Weekly Home Blessing Hour 1. Cull/toss old magazines. 2. Change sheets. 3. Clean Litter 4. Take out all trash 5. Vacuum all rooms. 6. Mop kitchen and bath. 7. Clean mirrors and doors. 8. Sweep Walk Tuesday: Free Day Wednesday: Menu/Desk Work Thursday: Prepare for the Weekend Friday: Laundry and Errand Day Saturday: Family Day Sunday: Renew Your Spirit |
The next page is a poem about being thankful for the dirty dishes because it means my family has eaten today and on the right is my morning routine.
The next one was going to be my afternoon routine but i decided just to put my daily blessings http://www.realsimple.com/home-organ…0000000000953/ (2 pages)
The next 2 pages are (on the left) My evening schedule and (on the right) 2 verses that encourage me in keeping house. Titus 2:3-5 and Proverbs 31:10-31
Then i have another divider, flylady’s 11 commandments of housekeeping, and then a detailed cleaning list for every room in the house. I don’t even look in here until my daily things are done but i find it helpful because i often forget to do things or know where to start with a deep cleaning.
Next i have a divider and after that are motivational things like laine’s letters (in the joyous homekeeping sticky) and a few things from flylady.
http://www.flylady.net/pages/bedroom_graveyard.asp
http://www.flylady.net/pages/kitchen_makeover.asp
http://www.flylady.net/pages/zone51_makeover.asp
Next i WANT to have a divider and then a list for my Lending/Borrowing inventory. A list of books I’ve borrowed from the library and their due date. Also a list of things i’ve borrowed or lent out to other people and when i borrowed/lent them out to remind myself to take them back. The spreadsheet i made didn’t work on my MIL’s computer (I don’t have a printer at home)
Then i have a red folder (not divider) that has my son’s emergency medical thing in it and a copy of both mine and DH’s insurance cards. I keep another folder with our full medical information and SS#s, birth certificates, etc. in a binder that i do NOT keep out on my kitchen counter all the time.
Then i’m going to get a folder to hold my Weekly Menus (with shopping lists) I got started here but then started making my own and saving them. I also plan on having a matching notebook in there but i’m buying those this weekend (my old ones are sort of scattered about and i have nowhere to plan my new menus). so they’re not done yet. In additon to that, i keep my weekly menu on the fridge as well as a list of possibly snacks and breakfasts so that I don’t stand there hungry going “ummmmmmmmm”
and that’s it so far. I hope you enjoyed a peak into my Homekeeping Journal
Temperature too low
I think the temperature in my fridge is too low. I complained to hubby about it but he says that its fine, he already turned it down and that its only doing it because the weather is so cold outside.
So today Caleb gets a boiled egg out of the fridge, goes to crack it and starts whining. I go to see what’s going on and apparently my eggs had frozen solid.
i let it defrost in a bowl hoping that after it did, it would be a normal egg…nope
all the eggs i boiled are ruined
also a lot of my fresh vegetables are now frozen vegetables and i can’t get a pickle out of the jar!
geewhiz