Test Results

My Glucose Tolerance Test results came back and the results showed that I’m totally fine. I’m not exactly sure why I was concerned considering that I’ve been eating fairly healthy throughout the pregnancy so far. I’ve only indulged on a few occasions and even then, it was mostly apples; lots and lots of apples. :)

But anyhoo, the only thing I have to do now on doctors orders is take an iron pill. Apparently my iron level was a touch low, nothing serious, but considering that babies tend to suck up minerals like that, they want me to just pop a pill to boost that.

Now if I could only start feeling better I’d be a happy camper. I’m not sure if I’m coming down with a cold or if this is just a bad allergy attach but I have been congested as all heck for the past three days and yesterday I barely had a voice at all. Today I’m just draining, sneezing and feel generally blech. Ah well. At least Aaron’s been very comforting. He’s been giving me quite a bit more extra attention and helping more at home.

E's Blog

Ony of my favorite Bloggy people and fun author has once again posted his trivia challenge. Check it out. It's always good fun, E's Blog

Glucose Tolerance Test

Today started nice and early. I had a 7:15 am appointment to have a glucose test done. Basically, they're testing to make sure I'm doing okay and to check for gestational diabetes. The sugar drink they had me drink to prepare for this thing tasted like the quarter drinks from when I was a kid but with a few extra teaspoons of sugar added. If you know the ones I’m talking about, you know just how sweet those are to begin with.

Anyhoo, the nurse today was awesome. I hate needles. No, really, let me state that again. I HATE NEEDLES. I used to give blood regularly because it was the right thing to do, but when it comes down to it, I cannot stand the things and pretty much have to cringe and look away. I’ll openly admit it; I’m a big baby when it comes to them. But I digress. The nurse today drew blood and I hardly felt a darn thing. I had to tell her that that was the most painless and fastest I’ve ever had blood drawn. She took out to vials. I was really impressed. I may have to go back in the mornings if I have to get blood drawn again. Like I said, she was awesome.

So yes, I was supposed to get my flu shot today but I may have to hold off on it for a little longer. I’m starting to feel the all too familiar itch that signals the start of a sinus infection. I was asked how I knew and I told them that because my allergies are so bad, I get them at least once a year. Ah well. The nurse wholeheartedly agreed with me. So I’ll have to call them back and try to schedule it for when I’m feeling better. Yay. More needles. Sigh.

Oh yeah, my doctor didn’t give me crap about my weight this time around. I was only up two pounds from the last time. I told him that I cut out a lot of my favorite juices, cut back drastically on my apples, added more vegetarian meals to the week and I started walking a bit more while I still can. He seemed pretty pleased and told me to keep it up. So yaaay! Hopefully at this rate, I won’t end up feeling like a big, round cow. Although Aaron’s convinced the baby’s going follow suit with the other babies in my family and come out huge. I’m talking the smallest one was Munchkin #6 and she was seven pounds-ish, almost eight. All the others were damn near close to 10 lbs.

So now all I have to do is make it to our childbirth class and try to not pass out during the thing. At this rate, I’m not sure how well that’ll work out.

100 Days...

I just realized I have 100 days left to go till the baby arrives (in theory anyway).

Teehee... I am now really excited. Good lord. It really has gone by quickly. Yes, that’s despite the puking fits and the times where I actually had to walk around with tissues in my pockets as improvised nose plugs.

But really, where the hell has the time gone?

Was I Wrong?

I did something yesterday and it’s kinda bugging me a touch. So, you know, I have to air it out here.

So as you know, Aaron has been struggling with putting the cigarettes down for good. There is no smoking in our apartment any longer. Not even in Evan’s room. Especially now that there’s a baby on the way. So Aaron has been doing well for several weeks, possibly months. But then recently, like a dumb-ass he went and had a few. Not sure why, he said he was having a stressful day, and while I can understand that, I’m not sure I can fully understand the reasons why he went and lit up when he was perfectly fine and chipper. Before you go on, I know damn well that it’s an addiction and therefore, prone to cause irrational behavior. ANYWAY...

Tuesday we spent the day with my Mom for her birthday and while we were there, I moved Aaron’s jacket and felt the unmistakable shape inside his pocket. I thought to myself, ‘I HAD to be mistaken. WHY would he have a pack in his pocket?’ I felt through the material and there it was, about a thumb-length up from the bottom edge, the lid gave just a touch. I considered my next step, but decided to do nothing. Instead, I would let it go. Perhaps there was some other kind of explanation. Yeah, right! Later that night he made a comment about wanting to smoke a giant cigarette. I nearly lost it, but rather than brining this up in front of my Mom and getting her involved, I held my tongue.

That night we went to our first childbirth class. I’m still not 100 percent convinced this is necessary but I figured, why not, I’ll listen to see what the maternity ward nurses (i.e. the experts) have to say on the whole subject and learn a thing or two. Right after the thing, I noticed he was getting antsy and a little short-tempered. He seemed a bit anxious to meet up with his friend Jerry who I know smokes. ‘Hmmm,’ I thought. Right before he dropped me off at the front of the building, I kindly reminded him to not smoke. He got really agitated and started yelling at me. “I haven’t smoked! When did you see me smoking. I haven’t smoked at all!...” It was an awfully sharp response for a simple request. Hmm... Nicotine withdrawal anyone? Ding, fucking ding!

For the rest of the night I was pretty pissed off. He didn’t get back until after I fell asleep. In the morning, however, as I was on my way to work, I got my jacket out and saw his jacket on the hanger next to mine. I reached in the pocket and wouldn’t you know it, there they were. I thought I could do something fucked up to them and put them back, but that would still mean he’d reach in and want to get one. And what if he didn't noticed I tampered with them until after he lit up. Gah! So, I just took them. I threw them out once I got outside of the building. But for the rest of the day I was pissed off beyond belief. I mean, how dare he?! Its one thing to behave irresponsibly to a certain point, but when you know your behavior, because of the damn things, is affecting those around you when they are already emotionally sensitive? That just takes fucking balls. I was so pissed, I honestly wanted to turn right back around and cause a huge fucking scene. Not to mention he lied to me. He outright looked at me, while yelling at me for no good reason, and LIED to me. But once again, I tried to cool off on my own and not think about it. It mostly worked. The drive on the way home was challenging at best. I started thinking about all the other stuff he could be lying to me about. Then my mind traveled right on into kooky town. I’m talking, I could have easily convinced myself into thinking he was cheating; was not the person I thought he was; possibly some kind of sociopath; or even worse. By the time I actually got home I was so damn agitated I didn’t even want to talk to him. I walked in and he gave me a kiss on the cheek. What the hell is that?! I kept reminding myself to remain calm and not to jump to conclusions.

I asked him if he noticed anything missing? He said no. NO. HA! I then asked him about his day. He went out to have lunch with a friend. They talked for a while, just catching up; he played with her son, read him a book and she told him about her experience with the whole childbirth thing. And there it was again that twinge of jealousy. No good reason for it, but there it was, just the same. Hormones and anger are a hell of a combination. In those few seconds I got to the point where I wanted to throw something at his head for being untrustworthy and for daring to cheat on me. Now, I knew I ventured off into kooky town again so I forced myself to calm down and behave like a normal person.

Then he stated making dinner I helped but he pretty much took charge. Hmmm? Is someone feeling a touch guilty? Perhaps. I didn’t bring the topic of the disappearing cigarette pack. I may tonight. Only goodness knows what that conversation would have led to, given my state of mind yesterday.

I still feel a touch bad about what I actually did (going through his pocket and taking the pack). I keep thinking that it wasn’t the right thing to do. But then again, in a situation like this, perhaps two wrongs do, actually, make a right. Eh. Who knows?

"Watch That Weight"

I should be more upset but I’m kinda not. Yesterday I went in for my monthly doctor visit and was told that I have gained too much weight in the last month. I thought that might be the case, but I didn’t think it was THAT bad. So yes the doctor told me that he really wants me to watch my weight because ideally, he would like me to be delivering at the weight I’m at currently and no more than five pounds from where I am. Boo. :(

The problem now, is how do I keep the weight steady without going hungry? Somehow, I don’t think it’s a great idea to go on a diet while pregnant. I can try to get more exercise but what foods should I eat then? I don’t really pig out on “junk” food. My snacks usually consist of fruits (apples are my go-to snacks), fruit juices or yogurts. I may throw in a handful of non-salted nuts once in a while, when I’m feeling sassy. He told me to cut back on the fruit juices and the fruit. The juices I can do without. The fruit, however, that’s a tough call. Like I said, it’s all I usually snack on between meals (one snack between meals). Like I said, I’m not exactly a big fan of eating chips, sweets, or your standard crap food fare. Gah! I feel like I would have been better off eating all the crap foods. So now I am on the hunt to find a solution.

Luckily everything else was okay. The baby’s HB is going strong and well. Growth is normal, the kicking activity is normal, and the hand falling asleep in the middle of the night are all, well, normal. Next time I go in I have to do a glucose test and get my flu shot. I told Aaron he and Evan have to do the same thing. He wasn’t so thrilled about it; mostly because of the thought of potentially getting sick because of it. But I told him that as long as there will be a baby in the house and as long as they’re in it, they have to get the shot. The baby’s due in the middle of the flu season and there is no way in hell I’m taking any chances. Luckily, my parents, who will likely be helping take care of the baby when I first go back to work, already get their flu shots around this time of the year.

Besides, Aaron and his brother can suck it up and deal. I have to deal with all the other aspects of being pregnant; they can deal with getting a teeny shot. Big babies.

Creatures of the Night

For those who have known me for any amount of time know that I have had a long history of loving vampires. I’m not certain how it started or why, but I absolutely love the stories, the endless variations of the creatures themselves and yes, the lore from all parts of the world.

So whether you like them or not, here’s my little tip of the hat to the classic (to me) vampires from when I was growing up. And in case you’re wondering, the cut-off point I used was high school. I’d be here forever if I included all my favorite vampires.

The Count


Yeah, I know, 'really?' But let’s face it, he was quite possibly the very first vampire I ever saw and still one of my favorites. SO, here’s to you number ONE! AH. AH. AH.

Count Duckula


You know, I don’t know if many people out there would remember good ole Count Duckula. He used to be a regular vampire but during a resurrection ritual one of his servants called Nanny dropped in ketchup and so he became a vegetarian vampire. It was really a cute cartoon, but sadly short-lived.

Love at First Bite

I think I was entirely too young to see this movie when I was a child, but I saw it anyway. And wouldn’t you know it, I loved it. I thought it was absolutely hilarious and it’s still a great flick. One of my favorite things about it is that George Hamilton is in it, and he’s not day-glow orange. They actually had to make him look pale. HA!

Monster Squad


Okay, okay, this isn’t strictly a vampire move but it’s still great. And Dracula is the sort of leader of the monsters.

The Lost Boys


Enter the hot vampires. Until I saw The Lost Boys, vampires weren’t really hot. Ah but then I had never seen Michael before. Sigh… “Say hello to the night, lost in the shadows, say hello to the night, lost in the loneliness”


Once Bitten


Cheesy, yes. Campy, oh hell yes. But come on, it’s one of the earliest Jim Carey flicks and Lauren Hutton is in it.

My Best Friend is a Vampire


Robert Sean Leonard could have been the first Edward. I’m just sayin.’ He was turned into a vampire but was trying to be good and not feed from humans. Trying to get the girl and save the day. And because of his odd behavior, his parents mistake him for being gay. It’s not a very well known movie, but it is fun and yes, you guessed it, it’s loaded with 80’s cheesy camp.

The Original, Bella Lugosi as Dracula


I can’t say enough about this one. I usually catch it on a yearly basis. I mean, really, how can you go wrong? Not to mention, would any classic vampire, “look” ever exist without Mr. Lugosi?

Interview with the Vampire


Hello! As in most cases, when you have a book turned into a movie, the book is better, but can anyone deny that pre-crazy, couch-jumping Tom Cruise was just hot personified? His portrayal of Lestat, in my opinion, was spot on. The look wasn’t quite what I pictured in my head, but damn it, the attitude was spot on. For a while there I toyed with the idea of getting a neck tattoo that read, “Insert Fangs Here, Lestat.”

Vampire Hunter D


Manga or the Anime, version, this is just an awesome flick and was one of my first introductions to my other crazy obsession, the world of Anime and Manga. Not to mention, D is kind of a tragic hero that you just can’t help but really feel for.

Nosferatu


For years and years, I saw this character and didn’t quite know what to make of it. The look of Nosferatu is about as classic as the Bella Lugosi look, just not debonair. He’s actually kind of grotesque. Then at some point in high school I actually got my hands on a copy of the movie and watched it. I was surprised how much I actually really enjoyed it and it quickly became a favorite.

I Love When Things Work Out

I do love it when things work out better than expected. Case in point, I just put my boss on an NPR program. He wasn't sure it went as well as he would have hoped, but I told him that he did a great job and that because of the program's reach, it was a fantastic spot for us. I got him feeling better and then right after I got off the phone with him, I got a call from the program's host to say thank you and to invite him on again in the future. Who rocks?! Booyah!

Can't Work, Ah Well

Ahhh, it should be a relaxing day at work, but it so isn’t. But damn it I can’t really think so I’ll just churn out a blog post to get the writing groove started.
Ever since I work up this morning, I’ve had Lee Dorsey’s “Working in a coal mine” song stuck in my head. In case you don’t know it, it starts off like this:

“Workin' in a coal mine
Goin' down down down
Workin' in a coal mine
Whop! about to slip down
Workin' in a coal mine
Goin' down down down
Workin' in a coal mine
Whop! about to slip down
Five o'clock in the mornin'
I'm all ready up and gone
Lord I am so tired
How long can this go on?”

So yes, the event I was working on went over very well we got a lot of good media coverage for it and I’m a happy camper. I got a ton done, but I’ve still got oodles of stuff to do to actually reach the happy place -which I’m almost convinced is fictional- called, Caught Up. Ah yes Caught Up, it’s a lovely place to visit, just south of Hogsmead and Hogwarts.

Blech. So yeah, I have a few deadlines handing over me like the sword of Damocles. But I will be damned if I get myself as worked up as I was last week. It’s just not worth it. Not to mention poor wee girl may end up coming out looking like Tweak from South Park, if I keep that up. I just won’t let it happen damn it.

Ooh speaking of the wee girl; you know how you so often hear parents say that every day brings something new once you’re a parent. It’s actually very true. I have never experienced so many random things. For example, it turns out that the wee girl is under the impression that my bladder is a bouncy house. I normally get the giggles when I feel the movements but when I already have to pee and she decides it’s time to play, it’s not so cool. Another thing is, I used to be able to sleep with very minimal movement. I used to be able to wake up, pull the corner of the cover back and viola! The bed is made. Now, not so much. Because of all the position changes, the middle of the night pee breaks, hot spells and numb hands and arm (so need to get back to this) my room, not just my bed, now looks like a frat party made its way through my room in the middle of the night. I’m talking there are papers, magazines, articles of clothing and empty cups all over the damn place by the time I wake up.

So yes, I’ve apparently come down with a common symptom of pregnancy. I’ve experiencing numbness in my right hand and sometimes part of my arm. It mostly happens in the middle of the night but it really happens at all hours. The other day I was at work my fingertips started going. As it turns out my chair at work sucks. Ah well, at least I haven’t actually started leaking yet.

I’m not kidding, this is actually something I’m happy about. Aaron seems to like reminding me about that. He thinks it’s funny. He learned all about what to do and what not to do from the book I gave him, “The Expectant Father” or something like that. So yes the book says to be nice and to not make fun of your wife, significant other, baby momma, whatever. So what does he do? Yep, he sticks to his ways and uses the stuff he learns about as comedic material. Not in a bad way of course, he’s not a complete bastard. He’s just a smart-ass who can’t help himself. So yeah, the potentially leaky boobs thing had him rolling when he first read about it. The other day he joked that I should use them as water guns or something equally ridiculous. Yes, my husband who’s about to become a father has reverted to a 12-year-old. :)

The good thing- yes despite my bitching, there are several good things- is that the rounder I get the more he insists on rubbing and talking to the belly. He’s even made it part of his daily routine. Things like that make up for the childish behavior.

Aw crap, I’ve looked at the time and I should probably get back to work. Booo.