This Week in Parenthood...

Baby: He opened his eyes for the first time. He lost a whole pound, but gained 8 ounces back. He was a little jaundice, but nothing that the pediatrician was concerned about. He's struggling with breastfeeding (I was told he was a hand-sucker in the womb, so that apparently makes him want to kill me every time I try and feed him.) He works pretty hard to pick that head up and in doing so, makes the best little grunting noises.

Parents: Wiped out (!) and trying to cope with the fact that we will no longer be able to use our weekends to catch up on sleep. We are getting used to our new schedule... or lack thereof. Loving on the little guy as much as possible. Celebrated his first pooh (my, how our priorities have changed!) Appreciating all the love and support we've received.

Mom's Thoughts: I lost all the baby weight already, but my body sure ain't what it used to be. My regular jeans don't fit yet. The weird thing is that it doesn't bother me that much (not yet anyway). Even with the stretch marks and the saggy belly, I feel more beautiful than ever. I feel really proud of myself and even shocked that I'm capable of doing this.

Plus my feet look freakin' fantastic!

Baby's Here!

More to come, but just had to share the news.

Little Stevie P

Born December 23rd, 2010

6:44am

7 lbs 0 oz., 19 1/4 inches long

I am smitten, overwhelmed, exhausted... but most importantly, amazed at what I have experienced and learned in just the last few days.

Ain't he delish???!

Finns, False Labor, & Christmas Spirit

What a week we have had here in little ol' Burbank. My cousin and his girlfriend from Finland came to visit for about 10 days, so I did my best getting them to see all Southern California has to offer - which mostly meant that I dropped them off places and let them sightsee, while I went home and put my swollen feet up.

See what I mean??! My husband calls them loaves of bread and we can't help but laugh.

Last weekend while it was toasty warm, we took the Finns to Santa Monica and some of the beach areas. They thought it was so weird to see Christmas decorations and ice skating in 89 degree weather, but seemed to really enjoy the sunshine (while it lasted). They also spent time at Universal Studios, Disneyland and touring Hollywood on one of those double decker buses. Once the weather started cooling off, I spent a little time with them at the Griffith Park Observatory and the giant mall. When we started getting full-on rain, we went to the movies, out to eat and more shopping. I honestly don't know what else you do here when it rains! But they really seemed to enjoy their time in L.A. and I'm so glad we got to see them. They are now off in Utah to spend Christmas with the rest of my family, so I know they'll have a nice time re-cooperating and relaxing there.

Last night, we trudged out in the rain and had our annual Christmas party with all of our friends. It was such a great evening. Lots of food, lots of laughs, silly santa hats and a gift exchange. I think we've been doing these parties since 2006, so its really become a fun tradition. It was the first time this holiday season where I have felt like Christmas was upon us. Its been a little harder getting in the spirit this year because I haven't decorated the house and I did most of my shopping online to avoid waddling through the crowded stores. Plus we don't really have any plans for the holiday. So it was really nice to put on a little glitter and sit near a Christmas tree. I wish I had some pictures, but (GASP!) my camera is a little broken right now. Grrr...

Well I did get a picture of my "Ho Ho Ho" santa hat. Totally inappropriate but funny, no?

After the party, I slept soundly with a full belly until about 2am. Got up to pee and felt a LOT of pressure in my pelvic area, but that's not exactly anything new, so I went back to sleep. However, randomly through the next couple hours, I would wake up with really bad cramps in my stomach and my back. I think at about 4am, I finally got up and started watching the clock, just in case the pains became more regular. They never really did, so I knew I wasn't in labor. The pains finally subsided around 6am, so I went back to bed. They would pop up again every once in awhile and hurt bad enough to wake me up, but not bad enough to be contractions. So that was a mean little trick! And it made me nervous! As much as I feel like I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore, its still weird thinking once I go into labor I will have an actual BABY to take care of! But hopefully the false labor was a sign that I'm progressing in the right direction.

Today I'm just relaxing, haven't had any more pains. But enjoying a quiet, VERY rainy day with Gadoo, the Beverly Hills Housewives and the fireplace going.

36 weeks - 9 months along (!!)

Upside: Yes, we hit the 9 MONTH mark! Pretty soon we'll be counting down days instead of weeks. Über-exciting.
Downside: I got my first stretch marks, dangit! They are mostly on the underbelly, but I started using Maderma the day I found them. (That stuff is $35 big ones! Geez.) But hoping the squigglers don't get too much worse.

I don't normally post any pics with this much skin, but whatever. Not
that many people read this blog anyway. Please keep your fingers
crossed that whenever this baby comes (hopefully sooner than later),
the delivery will go smoooooooth.

Date Night

If I haven't mentioned it lately, I have a pretty sweet husband. He's been on hiatus from work for the past 5 weeks - not that he's had much time to relax. He's been working his butt off trying to get this house in order. But when he takes time off, I always get way too used to him being home. Then I don't want him to go back to work. It's too much fun having him here.

Well the time has arrived where he must go back. So even though we've gone out plenty of times in the last few weeks (you know... dinner, movies, simple stuff like that) I told him "Before you go back to work, we should have a date night." I always throw in that it might be the last time we will ever be alone too, just to rub in the baby factor. Of course, he had no objections. He likes food and movies as much as the next guy.

But then we made the mistake of going to Target.

Oh, Target. We are there like 3 times a week and can never seem to leave the store without spending $100+. I mean we literally had 5 things on our list and walked out with much, much more. And none of it was even frivolous spending! Mostly food and necessities (this time.) So as that little green cash register number got closer and closer to $200, I said to him "You know, maybe we should just stay in tonight... *GULP*" He agreed and so I prepared myself for a Sunday night of TV watching and bean burritos. No big deal, but date night would have to wait.

Cut to a few hours later - my adorable husband is in the kitchen preparing a real honest-to-goodness dinner. Pork chops, rice, veggies, AND he was cute enough to set the table with place settings and top it all off with some sparkling cider in wine glasses. He didn't want me to go without my date night. So we enjoyed our food, some conversation at the table and watched Friday Night Lights with the fireplace going. It was one of the best date nights I could've asked for.

And it all took place in my yoga pants.

He wins!

Home Improvement

For the past 4 years or so, my husband and I have been all talk about remodeling our kitchen. We would come up with a plan, start weighing our options, then decide it was just too expensive and scrap the idea. I can't even count how many times we did that. Our latest plan was that we would just slap some paint and handles on the cabinets and call it a day. That would've cost less, but wouldn't have solved the real problem.

So, all that talk finally turned into action. IKEA was having a sale on their counter tops, and Best Buy was having a sale on appliances. Then with that darn baby coming, it really got us thinking how nice it would be to have a functioning kitchen that also looks a little nicer. It was really my husband who got the ball rolling. He just couldn't take it anymore. So we did it! It's done! And it's so fantastic! (And thanks to IKEA the whole thing was completed start to finish in less than a month!)

Isn't it pretty?

Our old kitchen was the same layout, but as you can see below it's hideous. It was built in the 80's and hadn't been touched since. My favorite is the crazy stove (someone actually bought that from us on Craigslist. Hey. One man's junk...) To give you an idea how stupid the old kitchen was, we had - count them - 3 drawers. Total. 3 drawers in our whole kitchen. And 2 of the 3 were completely useless. There were other problems too, of course. But obviously cabinet and drawer space were major factors in our decision.

So now we have quadrupled our storage space, we have awesome stainless steel appliances, and it just looks about a gajillion times better. We are so happy with it. We can't stop looking at it! Of course, now I have no excuse not to cook, but I think I will enjoy using this kitchen just a little bit.

127 Hours

I went into this movie not knowing anything about it, and I was pleasantly surprised. It's based on the true story of Aron Ralston who was trapped while hiking in Utah a few years back. You probably know how it ends, but if you don't, stay away from the link! After watching the movie, I did remember hearing this story in the news. James Franco was the lead (which is about the only information I had going in - and what sold me on seeing it) and he was great. It had some really intense moments and you can't help but imagine yourself and what you would do in a life or death situation like that. I like to hope that I would fight it out, but I also know what a wimp I am.

The thing I didn't like about the movie was it sometimes was a little too much like "I Shouldn't Be Alive". I know there's only so much you can do with a story like this, but it didn't feel that different from the TV show, except for freakin' James Franco. (I love him.)

Mammoth Mountain

This last weekend, we had the chance to get outta dodge and go visit some nature. Same cabin as last year and it was just great. We had snow in the hills and it was plenty cold. We did some beer (and root beer) tasting, watched a lot of TV, went to the tippy top of the mountain, played games on our phones, and basically ate a lot of food. Just what you'd expect for a weekend getaway.

As always, grateful for friends who make these trips so memorable.

Baby Shower

Well after all my moaning and groaning about how hard it is being pregnant, my wonderful sister-in-law went and threw us the best baby shower in the whole wide world. Seriously, you would not believe how awesome it was. We had quite a guest list and she made accommodations for everyone - all 65 friends, family & children. I know, I know. It's an insane amount of people. But I definitely wanted a co-ed party, plus my husband's extended family is huge. And they have been waiting a long time for this little one. So a serious celebration was in order.

My SIL took care of everything - from the adorable invitations, to delicious catering, to a photo booth with props, to a craft table for the kids, to the centerpieces, to desserts... I mean it was off the charts. And she didn't make us play any baby shower games (phew!) I honestly can't thank her enough.

Another huge thank you to husband's Aunt, who let us have the party in her backyard. She is always a marvelous hostess.

And one last thank you to everyone who came out to party with us. Some people drove far and others live right around the corner, but they all made the effort to be there and it meant so much to us.

The party planner extraordinaire! One day she'll be doing this
for the stars, I'm sure of it.

We truly are so blessed.

Things They Don't Tell You About Pregnancy

I've read "What To Expect When You Are Expecting". I even glanced at it before I got pregnant. It almost made me not want to bother. Almost. Because if you focus on all the pain and suffering it takes to get that little baby into your arms, it seriously sounds like a deal-breaker. But I keep telling myself women do this all the time. And I'm a tough woman. I can do it! I want that little crying, pooping reward. But there are some things I never expected, even with the help of a book.

1. Public bathrooms are too small for me to fit comfortably inside. It's a bit claustrophobic.

2. How difficult it is to:

A. Put my clothes on - namely pants and shoes

B. Get out of my car

C. Get over a minor cough or cold

D. Wipe

E. Not stub my toes

F. Get out of bed!

3. My ankles and feet don't just swell, they look like tree trunks.

4. About 6 months ago, I could run 5-6 miles. Now I get winded walking up a single flight of stairs. And putting on socks.

5. Sweating a lot.

6. People saying things like "Are you sure there's only one baby in there?"

7. How many pillows I would actually need to be comfortable in bed. And it's still not that comfortable!

8. Granny panties. I totally had to get them.

9. Did you know you can grow out of maternity clothes?! I thought they'd fit through the whole pregnancy, but this is not always the case.

10. Belly hair, mucous plugs, swelling, leakage, skin tags, joint pain. (WTF?!)

11. Snoring. Dear Lord in Heaven, the snoring.

12. How incredible it feels when the baby moves around. Well, people might mention that, but there's no way to understand it until it happens.

I feel more like the girl in the first book. Not the cute, modern one that looks all smug.

I think am really over being pregnant - if you couldn't tell. As scared as I am, I'm ready to get this kid out! But first things first. We still have a LOT to do. The baby doesn't even have a place to sleep yet. Plus he/she needs to bake a little longer. Go baby, go!

Happy Halloween!

We stayed home today. I mostly sat on my big booty while my husband packed the kitchen getting ready for the remodel next week.

But we DID go out on Friday and Saturday nights so we wouldn't feel too old and boring. This was our (very last minute) costume:

Juno & Paulie Bleeker

Hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween. I'm just wishing I had bought some candy.

Back To The Future

We just saw Back to the Future IN THE THEATERS. I had seen #2 and #3 in the theater, but never the first one. It was freakin' awesome. They re-released it in select areas for the 25th Anniversary. Not only did we notice a bunch of stuff we'd never noticed before, but the crowd was so into it. We were cheering and laughing and having a blast. Simply epic.

Marty McFly will always have a place in my heart.

Three!!!

Happy birthday to the cutest kid on the planet!! I keep telling my sister I'm worried - you are supposed to think your own children are the cutest ever, but look at him! What if he is really always #1 cutie??!

Love you buddy. I can't believe you are 3 and growing up so fast. XOXOXO

Darn!

Last week I had a Glucose Challenge Test done to test for gestational diabetes. To get the test, you first have to starve yourself, then you have to drink a sickeningly sweet sugar water, then you have to wait around for an hour before having your blood drawn.

Test results came back a little high.

Boo.

So on to the next test...

Soon I will be taking the Glucose Tolerance Test. Basically the same procedure, but you drink a sugar water that's about 3x's as sweet as the first one, then you have to wait around for three hours, getting your blood drawn every hour.

Super fun. Can't wait.

The Social Network

I had to think about this one for awhile... I couldn't decide if I really liked it or not. Eventually, after some thought, I did. It got a lot of hype from everyone we knew, so I think that I was expecting more. But all in all, it was actually pretty good. Mostly because the characters were so well written and smart. I don't know how much of it was actually true, but what a roller coaster for those guys.

I love that the twins in the movie were played by the same dude!

The Events

OK, so let's talk about what we did while the cutest nephew in the world was visiting. (I should mention that my sister was here too. I know she sometimes gets overshadowed by the cuteness of the kid, but she is fun to be around too! She's such a good mom and likes to have fun with the best of us. It was nice having her here for longer than a couple days.)

They arrived on Monday evening and on Tuesday we started the fun with a visit to Travel Town. If you have a child that likes trains, this is the place to go. It's just a big yard with plenty of old steam engines and cargo trains to look at. There's no Thomas the Tank Engine, but its close enough. We rode the mini train around the park and the nephew chased a playful squirrel. Upon leaving, he said "That was a good day, guys." He didn't know the day wasn't over yet, but it was adorable. We headed over a couple blocks to the L.A. Zoo. Sister and I showed more interest in the animals than the kid. At least it was a nice cool day to walk around.

On Wednesday it rained and rained. So we had a hard time deciding what to do. We finally settled on the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena. We didn't leave the house until a little later, so we had to rush through a bit, but it is another awesome place for kids. Everything is hands-on and it was difficult to convince the boy to leave because he was having so much fun.

You know we did Disneyland. That was on Thursday. We wanted to celebrate his 3rd birthday a little early (so he could get in free one last time!) and it was a great day. It was unexpectedly crowded for a weekday, but we still got to do the most important stuff. And I was pretty proud of myself for holding up as well as I did with this belly, too!

On Friday it started to warm up a little more, so we decided to spend a little time at the beach. After fighting traffic on the way there and back, we were only on the sand for maybe an hour. Sand castles were built, seagulls were chased, and waves were run away from.

Saturday started with a trip to the park so nephew could play on the jungle gym. I took him by myself and when he was naughty, I realized how hard it is going to be to discipline my kids! I got mad at him for not listening and he cried and cried. And then I felt so bad! I know its a teeny tiny taste of what I'm in for, but man. Those crocodile tears can break your heart - even when 3 seconds earlier, he was being such a little turd! He got over the sadness pretty quickly and told me he loved me about 5 minutes later. But it plays with your emotions a little bit, I must say. Later that afternoon, a group of us went to Lombardi Ranch Pumpkin Patch and that was a huge hit. There was so much fun stuff to see and do so that kept us entertained for a couple hours before going out for dinner and dessert at CPK.

All in all, it was a great week. I'm so glad they chose Burbank, CA as their vacation destination! (Don't worry, sis - we will go to New York one day...)

This Is The Face...

I have had the pleasure of spending a week with this little guy.

He makes me so excited and nervous to have a baby of my own! I just love him!

Reunited, and it Feels So GOOD!

Reunited with my short hair, that is.

Don't get me wrong, there is something to be said for having long hair and I was kind of enjoying it - it looks full and luxurious when it's actually styled, it feels good brushing against the back of your arms and shoulders, and bad hair days are easily disguised with bobby pins & ponytail elastics. But when bobby pins & ponytail elastics became the daily norm, I knew it was time for a change.

It took a bit of courage to cut all that length off, but once it was done, I felt so refreshed!

And there is something to be said for short hair too - it looks cute with just a quick blow-dry, it feels good to have a breeze on your neck, and its so dang healthy! (Plus my husband just loves it.)

My attempt at being sassy.

I'm still wanting it a little blonder, but highlights seemed like the most sensible solution for now. All in due time... Aaaaaaaaahh.

Nevermind!

The Fall-ish weather did not last. It was like a cruel joke! Two days after I posted, we reached 98 degrees here. And today, it's supposed to be 110. We are mostly trying to stay indoors and run up our electric bill with non-stop air conditioning.

Not cool, Mother Nature! Not cool.

4th Year

I can't believe a year has passed since our last anniversary! It feels like I wrote that blog entry yesterday. Not much has changed as far as how I feel about the man I married. Only now we have that little bambino on the way to sweeten the deal even more.

For my present, he got my rings polished again. I'm always shocked how pretty and shiny they are. I will look forward to that blingy cleaning every year now! He took me out for a delicious dinner at McCormick & Schmicks and after stuffing ourselves silly, we actually got really tired and went to bed early. It was nice.

My gift to him was that I finally officially took his last name. I tried making it a surprise, but when my new Social Security card came in the mail, he was the first to grab it. A little anti-climactic that he opened it in the elevator on the way up to the condo, but it still feels more like we are a family unit now. (And one day I'll get used to saying and writing my new name! Hasn't quite caught on yet...)

Some silly pics from our honeymoon

So another year and another celebration down. It will be interesting to see what this next year holds for us, especially with the big changes going on in our lives. I can't wait to test the waters and experience all these new adventures with him.

First Signs of Fall

In California, there are no seasons. We have sunshine year round. While sometimes this is a good thing, other times I miss those transitions where you can kind of feel the air change into the next season.

Well, this morning we had our first sign of Fall (other than Halloween decorations showing up in the stores). It was foggy. Sure, it will still be 80 degrees by the end of the day - not exactly sweater weather - but it was nice to wake up to a darker bedroom and gloomy skies. And its amazing what a little cool weather can make you think of:

*Thanksgiving
*High School Football Games
*Boots & Sweaters
*Halloween
*Disneyland
*Halloween Time at Disneyland
*I need new slippers
*Mammoth Cabin Trip
*Haunted Houses
*Scarves & Hats

*Apple Picking

*Hay Rides

*Bundling up on cool nights

Those are all the things I thought of while laying in bed this morning and it got me pretty excited. Granted, some of these I never get around to doing, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't like to. Keeping my fingers crossed for more Fall-ish days!

Intimate Apparel?

So you know when you are like 13 years old and you go bra shopping for the first time and you see those hideous, giant, silky, "full-coverage" bras with straps so thick that it looks more like a parachute than lingerie hanging on the rack and you think to yourself "I hope to high heaven I never have to wear one of those"?

I am now the owner of one.

Even 18 years later, it still scared me to think I might need one. Seeing it hang there in all it's saggy glory made me cringe - not cute in any way, shape, or form. BUT it's not as bad as I thought it would be. As my body takes on these new shapes and forms, comfort is quickly becoming my top priority. And it is comfortable, so I'll take it.

The next step will be to conquer my fear of nursing bras - a whole other story.

Although, she looks pretty excited about it. How bad can it be?

Nyquil, On the Rocks Please!

Wow, having a cold really, really sucks when you are pregnant. I know millions of other women have been through this, but I never realized what a wuss I am without some pill poppin' to relieve the symptoms. I would wake up every morning thinking I was going to die. Or at the very least never feel normal again.

Over a COLD.

But 10 days later, I am starting to feel like my old self. Still congested and my ears are plugged beyond belief, but I'm going to survive!

I'm sure you are all very relieved.

FAQ

It seems like everyone asks the same questions, so here I will take a moment to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about my pregnancy!

1. How far along are you?

22 weeks and 5 days

2. When are you due?

January 1st, 2011

3. Have you felt the baby kick yet?

Yes! The first time was during week 20 and now it's become much more frequent.

4. Do you have any cravings?

Junk food (chips/sour candy) and potatoes. Nothing too weird yet.

5. Has nesting started?

Not even a little bit. I was hoping in month 5 I would be feeling much more energetic, but I am super lazy.

6. How do you feel?

Besides being tired a lot, I'm good. Emotionally we are both nervous and excited, of course.

7. Do you know what you're having?

We are going to be surprised. We both think it's a boy, but secretly wishing for a girl. We'll see!

8. What names have you picked out?

Names are so tough! Well, for a boy, it would be easy because we want to keep it in the family - so some version of Stephen Paul (I like Stefan Paul). For a girl, I like Grace, Annika, Hannah and Winnie. (I know Winnie might do irreversible damage, but come on. It's so flippin' cute.)

Oh DMB. How I Love You So!

This past weekend, we went up north to see them at one of our favorite venues: Shoreline Amphitheater. This trip up to the San Jose/San Francisco area has been a yearly tradition for about...11 years already! But I'm sad to say, this may have been our last show for a while. Next year, the band announced that they will be taking a much deserved break after 20 straight years of touring. Good for them, sad for me!

I'll tell you what, though. They went out with a bang. The show was incredible. So energetic with a great mix of old stuff and new stuff. I was sitting there, singing along, wishing it wouldn't end. To commemorate one of the best shows ever, I wanted to post the set list along with some of my favorite lyrics from the songs. I know this is boring to most people, but honestly, these songs are really close to my heart. So it's for my own entertainment.

The Last Stop

War, the only way to peace, well I don't fall for that

Watch as we nail God to a tree and then we say "Forgive me, forgive me"

Seek Up

Look at me in my fancy car and my bank account, how I wish I could take it all down to my grave, God knows I'd save and save. In the end it all piles up so tall to one being nothing at all.

Forget about being guilty, we are all innocent instead, and soon we will all find out lives swept away

One Sweet World

Nine planets round the sun, only one does the sun embrace, upon this watered one, so much we take for granted

Stay or Leave

Wake up naked drinking coffee, making plans to change the world, while the world is changing us, it was good good love. We used to laugh under the covers, maybe not so often now. The way I used to laugh with you was loud and hard

Crush

Crazy how it feels tonight, crazy how you make it all alright love, You crush me with those things you do, I do for you anything too

Seven

Baby when I think about you, all I wanna do be by your side, take a little ride

Pantala Naga Pampa

Come and relax now, put your troubles down, no need to bear the weight of your worries here, let them all fall away

Rapunzel

I think the world of you, all of my heart I do, Blood through my veins for you, you alone have all of me, I give my world to you and to you I will be true

Digging a Ditch

Where all these troubles that weigh down on me will rise

Where all these questions spinnin' around my head will die

#41

I came in praying for you, why won't you run in the rain and play, let the tears splash all over over you

Write a Song

I want to write a song that'll get you high, I want to find the words that'll make everything feel alright now, So in another world and another time, I'll be the kind of man that'll do you right

Spaceman

I'm not all bad but I'm a faithful sinner, I might get lost but I'll be home for dinner, If God don't like me he can send me to hell, but I love the way you love me

Cornbread

It soars inside my soul because of you, all this innocence that you inspire, You know you are as heaven intended you

Jimi Thing

Lately I've been feeling low, a remedy is what I'm seeking

What I want is what I've not got, but what I need is all around me

Shake Me Like a Monkey
God or the devil alone could not have made you up, the two must have worked as one together, So good just wanna eat you up, nothing like that real thing

You and Me

Wanna pack your bags, something small, take what you need and we disappear, Without a trace we'll be gone gone, the moon and the stars follow the car, And then when we get to the ocean we gonna take a boat to the end of the world

Time Bomb

Baby when I get home I wanna pick up the pieces, Hammer in the final nail, lean me up against Jesus

When everything starts to fall, so fast that it terrifies you, When will you hit the wall? Are you gonna learn to fly?

All Along the Watchtower

There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke, But you and I we've been through that and this is not our fate, So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late

ENCORE:

Sister

I hope you always know it's true I would never make it through, You could make the sun go dark just by walking away, Playing like we used to play, like it would never go away, I feel you beating in my chest, I'd be dead without Sister

Two Step
Celebrate we will, because life is short but sweet for certain

And there we have it. The show was over 3 hours, so we got lots of goods. An incredible band that never disappoints.