32 Weeks, 3 Days: 53 Days Remaining!

I can't even believe it!

I'm so excited to start my HypnoBirthing classes next Wednesday--you don't even know!  I'm trying not to think about being scared, and I'm trying to surround myself with positive stories and experiences, but I'm still nervous.  I mean, the reality of it is that he has to come out.  One way or another, he has to enter the world.  I'm so nervous!  Well, I'm nervous if I think about it too much.  I think right now it's still hanging around in that denial part of my brain.  Like, I haven't really embraced the fact.  I've thought it through and pictured it a million times, but I don't know.  I still think I'm going to wig out when I actually go into labor.  You know?

Little nudger is moving around right now.  Must be the coffee!! (Don't worry, it's just half caff!)

Starting Jan 1st, our new budget goes into place!  Nervous about this too!  My step-mom helped me set up this whole Excel spreadsheet thing to track it all.  I got the idea from the book America's Cheapest Family.  They suggest have separate "folders" within your account that list different things.  For example. you have $100 in your savings account--You'd have maybe $10 in the "fun money" folder, $15 in the "medical needs" folder, $5 in the "pet care" folder, $20 in the "car maintenance folder", $15 in the "clothes and grooming" folder, $10 in the "vacation" folder, and $25 in the "emergency savings" folder.  The idea is that every month you add money to these categories so that you have funds for your car registration, license renewal, walk in clinic co-pay, etc etc and you don't have to guess whether you "have enough" money or not.  I really like this idea, and it's an idea that I can understand.  I'm a very tangible person--I'd rather do this with real dollars in real envelopes, but I know that it's better to have it an a bank account, so I'm working on the computer part of it lol.  This is why my step-mom had to step in.  She's really good with Excel.  I got about 3/4 of the way there and then my brain just couldn't do any more.  I'm still trying to wrap my head around how Jan works out--because obviously I'm not starting at $0.  I guess I'm just entering all of our data into January and adding to it from there?

We're canceling our internet on Jan 4th!  SCARY!  BUT--the good news is this might not be as permanent as we thought!! Kevin got the Service Advisor position at the dealership!  So now he's not going to just be a parts guy anymore--he's going to be a service guy!  And it's going to be great.  He's going to be bringing home more money, so we can have more of a cushion!  I'm SO happy for him!  And for us, but mostly for him.  He deserves this.  He's worked hard there for 7+ years and it's about time he finally got a real raise!  So as soon as we start seeing the bigger checks, I can adjust our budget sheet accordingly.  But until then we'll assume the worst and hope for the best.

Off to check the bank account!

31 Weeks, 4 Days: Christmas Eve

No Christmas Tree this year.  I knew that we had enough stuff to do with preparing for Little Chicken that I wouldn't want to add taking down Xmas decor on top of it.  The floor is still a mess, for one.  And I have all sorts of cleaning things that I imagine magically getting done between now and Feb 21st.  So yeah.

With that said, I do think we are going to go look at some Christmas lights tonight!  Should be fun!  We're making Cake Pops today as gifts for our friends and family.  They're pretty cool.  There is some challenges that I didn't expect though--for one, I didn't expect the candy coating to crack on some of them.  I realized that the cake pops were too cold and the candy coating was shrinking--and cracking.

Weighing in at like 135.  Hoping to NOT gain more than 140 according to my scale.  That only leaves me 5 more pounds.  Bleh.

Baby is moving lots!  Less jabbing now, more rolling.  It's funny because my whole stomach looks like a wave when he rolls around.  Too cute.  And he gets hiccups!  They're super close together, almost like a really slow heart beat.  I find this odd.  Apparently it's normal though. I can't believe we're down to the last 8 weeks.  This is so insane! Still trying to grasp the concept that there is a human being in my stomach right now.  A real person!  I know it's normal and all that, but when I look down, it's all just so crazy.  A new little person is chilling in my stomach.  Just nudging away.  Kevin said it really started to hit him when he had his hands on my stomach while I was sleeping and he was kicking and rolling around in there.  Made him really realize that Lil' Chicken has a mind of his own and is doing his own thing, even when I'm unconscious.  I'm glad he got to feel that :)  I can't wait to meet our little boy!

I got Kev a Daddy Diaper Bag filled with all sorts of diaper baggy things for Christmas!  I think he likes it, but I think he'll like it more when he actually gets to use it.  The only thing is that it's smaller than I thought it was going to be....but maybe that's a good thing.  I wanted Kev to have his own little thing for the baby--a daddy thing.  So much is mommy and baby--it's every where.  And I wanted Kev to have something that was just his to use with Lil' Chicken.  It's pretty cool.  I hope it holds up.

Just wanted to update.  It's been a while, so thought I'd pop in :)

29 Weeks, 4 Days: Getting to the home stretch!

So I know it's been a while since I've posted, but I do keep journal on paper in a real book, too.  So I kind of switch back and forth between writing here and writing there.  I figure I'll eventually have this blog made into a book just to have :)  Then I'll have the blog book and the journal book.  Pretty cool.

Weighing in at like, 134 right now.  Hoping to NOT gain more than 6 more pounds! Better keep my pregnant tush moving!

Anyways, so earlier I was heating up some chicken nuggets in the toaster oven, and while I was waiting I was playing with Little Chicken's foot (he kept pushing it against my hand) and I was touching his foot when the timer went off on the toaster oven.  He jumped!  It was so cute!  I felt a little bad, too, but it was still cute.  Poor baby!  He has no idea what all is going on out here.  Must be weird being in a dark cubby hole like that.  I guess it's all he knows...but I still can't wait until he comes out to play.  We're going to have so much fun!  I have so many cute clothes for him.  I keep finding things!  I know he's going to outgrow them so fast, but still.  I want him to be stylin'!  And I have to take pictures.  Lots and lots and lots of pictures.  He will only be little for a short time.

I can't wait to meet him!!!!!!!!!

27 Weeks, 4 Days: The holidays are going to go by quick!

With Thanksgiving comes the time warp that is going to be the countdown to Lil' chicken!!  Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas, New Years, Valentines Day, Lil' chicken!  (Hopefully in that order).

I worked on Thanksgiving--it was all good though.  Got fed really well LOL.  I have been blessed with having Friday and Saturday (today and yesterday) off so I'm really NOT going to want to go back to work tomorrow morning haha.

Went shopping yesterday!  Got all sorts of stuff.  Let me take pictures and I'll post them for you :)

Diaper Bag: $28

Diapers and wipes:  Big box $43 (had coupon)
+ got free wipes
40 Pack $8 (coupon) + $0.97 wipes!

Blue and White shirt: BOGO, $5.50
Striped Shirts: $6, $7.50

Pants! $6 each

This is Lil' Chicken's closet so far
To the left is 0-3 months, and the sizes get bigger up to 6-9 months on the right.

I also got 3 shirts for me, Seasons 3 & 4 of Dexter, the game Cootie, consignment clothes for Lil' Chicken (in closet), and got our XBox repaired.  I also also got 2 new litter boxes, 2 new scoops, and a cardboard cat scratcher.  We've had the same litter boxes for like, 3 or 4 years--I think it's time to give the cats fresh ones.

I think my dad and stepmom are coming over today--I feel like I should clean up the house.  A lot.  He's allergic to cats, for one....and two the house is just a mess.  I haven't quite convinced myself to get up yet to do anything though.

Weighing in at 129 today!  Yay!  I've maintained my weight for about 6 weeks now.  Pretty crazy.  And good.

Belly Pic!  Just got home from Zumba®

I have my glucose test coming up this week.  I really hope I pass.  I do NOT want GD.

Anyways, I think I'm going to think about making something to eat and then clean up.  Sigh!

25 Weeks, 5 days: So much to do!

I so desperately need to make a list of things to get done before Lil' Chicken arrives, but I'm afraid that if I make a list, I'll just be really overwhelmed and not want to do any of it.  I get overwhelmed just thinking about all of the things that need to be done.

Ok.  Fine.  I'll make a list.

1. Finish floor project--ripping up all of the carpet and putting down vinyl wood panels
2. Go through everything and get rid of unnecessary things! 
1. chemicals
2. books
3. clothes
4. toiletries (you know, the 800 bottles of lotion that never get used...)
5. etc..
3. Clean sliding glass door and all the crap that's in the door track
4. Fix front door and put in a peep hole
5. De-mildew the front porch
6. Run washing machine cleaner through the washing machine
7. Clean the garbage disposal
8. Clean and bleach the garbage can
9. Finish re-upholstering the glider rocking chair!!!!!!!!
10. Finish Lil' Chickens crochet blanket
11. Replace the A/C filter
12. Replace the water filter
13. Re-organize and clean ENTIRE KITCHEN.  Maybe insist on new cabinets.  I hate the kitchen.  I don't even want to think about it right now.
14. Clean the bath tubs.  They are red and gross.
15. Clean the bathrooms and toilets in general
16. Dust the whole stupid house.
17. Get rid of all of the cat hair.  This is an endless project.
18. Do something about the garage.
19. Did I mention the cat hair??
20. Clean the fake plants
21. Clean the dust off the top of the cabinets.  This goes along with #13
22. Clear the stupid coffee table and do something about the tv tray in Empire.
23. Clear my bed side table
24. Figure out what needs a "home" and get totes/bookshelves/or whatever to put it in.
25. Re-do our closet.  It's not effective.
26. adhapoh akj df;aoisdij f;la 

ugh.  I shouldn't have made a list.

24 Weeks, 6 Days: Looking at HypnoBirthing

Ok, so I'm still 128 pounds--ACTUALLY, I'm 127 pounds....which means that I haven't gained any weight since 10/12/11!!! Almost a month!  Ha!  I may stay at 140 pounds yet! Would love to come in just under 140 pounds...but we'll see.  I think I'll be happy with 140.  That would be gaining 28 pounds, which isn't too bad.  25 would be better, but I'll take what I can get.  I have really been trying to not over eat and snack, which I haven't been super successful at, however I have cut out my extra meal I was eating every day.  Every day after work, at around 4:00pm, I was starving and getting some sort of something to eat--Panera, Jason's Deli, McDonalds, BK, etc.  So I've cut that out.  I think it's helping.  Now I'm saving money and calories!  Yay.  I wonder what I'll be at my DR appointment next Monday...?

Ok so on to my post subject.

I would love to take a HypnoBirthing class!  Apparently there's an instructor in Vero and in Orlando, so I at least have a decent chance at getting to go to one!  I have no idea how expensive this is...someone on WTE said around $500.  Ouch!  I'm thinking about having my grandmother ask people for a cash gift for my baby shower so I can go to this class.  I'll just tell her we have a ton of stuff, so what we could really really use is to go to this birthing class.  I think she'll agree with the hypnobirthing thing.  I couldn't find any class information on the website, but I emailed the lady to see if I can get info.  Hopefully there is something coming up!

My Halloween quilt is coming along nicely.  I've already decided that my next project is going to be a quilted advent calendar!

By Pink Chalk Studio

So I'm trying to make my own pattern based off of this image.  I figure it will be great for Lil' Chicken to be able to count down to Christmas with this every year!  My family had one when I was growing up, and it was so fun fighting with my siblings to see who would get to put an ornament on the tree every night.  It's super cute, and fun--and I think it will make a nice family tradition.

I can't wait until Lil' Chicken is here.

He woke me up with his wiggling this morning :)  I love watching my belly move when he starts flopping around.  Only 15 more weeks.  That is so insane to me.  He will be here before we know it.  Wow.  I need to get baby shower info to my peoples.  Maybe I'll work on that today.  I really really want to go to Joanne's to get some Xmas fabric, but I don't really have any money.  I don't need a lot, I'm trying to decide what to do about the pockets--all different patterns, or 5 different fabrics, and 5 pockets of each?  Should I put numbers on the pockets?  Like, 1, 2, 3...all the way to 25?  I think I'd like that, however I can't figure a color--I don't want it to be too much going on.

Ok, so I just filmed my belly moving!  I'm uploading it now....



Ok so it's all stretched out and weird, but the kicks are at :16, :31, :44, and 1:14.  Those are the bigger ones any ways, there are other ones but I can hardly see them at all in the video.  Yay Lil' Chicken!

23 weeks, 6 days: Picture post!

So many things going on!

I had my Zumba Zbaby baby shower last Saturday--I am so speechless.  Those crazy girls got us a travel system w/ carseat from graco, a pack and play, clothes, diapers, baby tub, and more!  I have to seriously get the gift list from Crystal and crank out some thank you notes.

Graco Travel System

Baby Trend Pack n' Play

Super Awesome Diaper Cake

Kevin painted my belly as an "M&M mini"!!

Had a lazy day today.  I almost feel like I wasted my day!  I think I'm just so overwhelmed with everything that needs to get done,  I didn't even know where to start.  The house is a mess, we need to do laundry, finish the floor, continue to get rid of things we don't need, re-organize the kitchen area...bleh.  Plus we desperately need to get our finances in order.  Next week, things are going to be uber uber tight until Kevin gets paid, which is probably NEXT Monday.  It might get a little scary until then! We got the book "The Cheapest Family in America" which is pretty awesome.  It's funny though, most of the things in there are ideas I've kicked around, just never put to use with any consistency.  I guess that's the problem.  I know HOW to be thrifty, we just don't do it.  So we're trying again.  This time, we need to succeed.

Ok, here's my bump @ almost 24 weeks!

Gettin' Big!

I'm at 128 pounds, and feeling lots of movement now.  Today he moved quite a bit--I sat on the couch most of the day, so he was awake lots :)  Yay, Lil' Chicken!