We're going to Vegas Baby!!

Wow a lot has happened since my last post. March 12th I had I had a doctor's appointment again. I passed the gestational diabetes test but it turns out I am anemic. This may have explained the extreme fatigue I was feeling the week prior. I now take iron supplements to help with this.

Saturday the 15th Chad and I had our first hypnosis for birth session. I feel really comfortable with Nancy and so far the experience has been good. I highly recommend her so far. She used to be a Mid-wife and does hypnotherapy and several different areas such as hypnosis for weight loss, ADD, panic attacks, fears and phobias, and social anxieties. My homework includes listening to her relaxation hypnosis CD once a day for 15 minutes, finding music to fall asleep to at night and finding an aromatherapy scent to use when relaxing and sleeping. I think I found a CD that I like. I found a scent but not yet sure if I'm thrilled with it. It is a combination of sage and citrus. We signed the Letter of Agreement with Nancy so she is going to be our birth doula. We have two more hypnosis for birth sessions, both are in May. Nancy's Hypnosis for Birth Website

After the hypnosis session Chad and I went to register at Babies 'R Us. I know what to do with 4 year olds and 3 year old maybe even 2 year olds but I realized I have no clue what to do with a baby. What do we need and how much of each thing do we need. Chad and I are always researching what the studies show but there isn't always a study for everything out there and if there is we don't always know about it. Needless to say we were both quite overwhelmed. I grew tired very quickly. Chad was awesome. He had me sit down and he went and scanned a bunch of things he though we would need. He came back to me when he had a question about what my opinion was on something. I know that we will figure it out as time goes on, but it was my first sense of I don't know what I'm doing. For those that are interested we also have a wish list at Wishlist.com. We purchased a new item we are trying out called Baby Plus. It is supposed to be a Prenatal Education System. There is some research which I'm sure we could poke holes through, but we figure it couldn't hurt. Apparently it was featured in December of 2007's O Magazine. So I strap this thing on my belly for one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening.



Friday the 21st Chad and I went to see Mamma Mia at the Paramount with Melissa and Tony. Mamma Mia is going to be a movie to be released this summer. We went to Von's in Seattle near the Paramount for dinner. This is usually an experience that Chad and I look forward to, but apparently Von's is under new management and it shows. The service was terrible, they no longer have their signature hot hard candy but rather atomic fireballs (they were popular in the late 80's) and they do not have their roaster in their entryway anymore. As for the show...it was great. Wonderful cast and really funny. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. We had front row seats so the music was really loud. Genevieve was kicking away for a while there. It was a great night and I was glad we could share it with Melissa and Tony.

The 23rd we celebrated Easter and mom's birthday at Jennifer and Eric's house. John and Debbie Francis joined in on the festivities. I can't believe how big my nephew T.J. is getting. Looking back I wish I had taken more pictures, but I didn't want to be that annoying person who has to properly document every occasion. I had mom take a couple pictures of Chad and me. Happy Birthday mom, words can never express how much we appreciate and love you.



This week I met with Human Resources at work and it sounds like a real possibility that I will be able to work one and half days from home next year. I will go into work three days a week. Overall, I will be working nearly full time (four and a half days). I'm looking forward to it. I'm happy they are able to be so flexible with my schedule. How many "teachers" get the opportunity to work from home? Have I mentioned how much I love my job?

Some of you know that I have been on the wait list for a hearing dog from Summit Assistance Dogs for a year now. I was getting a little antsy and asking if there was anything I could do to help in the search of a dog to train for me. They gladly accepted my help. Now I spend hours pouring over the listings on Petfinder.com and looking through classified ads to find dogs that have potential as service dogs both for me and for other clients. I already had an obsession with Petfinder, this just gives me a purpose. I enjoy contacting people and researching dogs with potential. I have found two dogs that are now under summit's care. They may or may not work out, it is all a part of the process. They also want to train me to actually go do the evaluations, which I'm looking forward to. At least I feel like I'm doing something to actively help in the search.

Genevieve has been getting more and more active. I feel her kicking more frequently and she is getting stronger (or more cramped for space). Of course every time she is really active and I call Chad over to feel it, she stops. He has felt her kick a few times but he hasn't really felt any of the truly powerful kicks yet. There have been a couple where I actually jumped, they didn't hurt but just startled me. My feet and hands have started swelling a bit over the weekend so I'm not wearing my wedding ring as frequently. It being titanium, we do not want to risk having to test whether or not it can be cut off. Chad has been helping with foot massages here and there, but one of his colleagues suggested we look for a spa in Vegas that does foot massages. I like the sound of that. My pinched nerve in my shoulder blade is getting better but my arm still goes numb when I sleep on my right side. My lower back is getting worse so I am continuing to keep up with chiropractic care and massages. But hey, this is all standard pregnancy stuff. It comes with the territory. I'm enjoying the experience of being pregnant and watching my belly grow. Even some of my maternity shirts are getting too short to wear without showing off my bare belly.

Tomorrow is Monday the 31st, the first day of my Spring Break. Our flight to Vegas takes off at 7:15 AM and comes back to Washington at 9:00 PM on Thursday. Last summer (and the summer before) Chad had a convention in Vegas and I tagged along. We stayed at the Bellagio (paid for by Microsoft of course) and the first night I was there I happened to step on glass while barefoot and cut a deep gash in my heel. Bellagio ended up providing us with three nights stay in a Deluxe Lake view room and 5 dinner vouchers for restaurants in their hotel. We figure now is a good as a time as any to utilize these vouchers. This will be the first time Chad has been to Vegas purely for pleasure. There is so much of Vegas he hasn't seen that I have. When he was busy at his convention I would spend the day visiting the different hotels and seeing all there is to see. This may be our last visit to Vegas in a while since his job has a changed and he can no longer justify attending that convention in Vegas. I will try my best to take lots of pictures.

Baby Zone Post

Below is a post that I submitted to my Due date club on on March 11th.

Saturday we have our first hypnosis for birth class (one of 3). I'm so excited and looking forward to it.

I have been trying to get massages once a week and have been going to the chirpractor twice a week. I have a pinched nerve that does not seem to be going away on top of the all over back pain I have already been experiencing. Well if it's not one thing it's another huh? At least I finally got over the sinus infection. I thought it was interesting that my chiropractor says that one reason I might be having more than average back pain related to the pregancy is that I am so short (4' 11") and the baby is getting up in my ribs and this is causing them to spread which causes my back to get out of whack. Has anyone heard of this?

I work in a couple of preschool classrooms. The preschoolers are finally starting to notice my ever expanding belly. They are so cute. Last week a girl walked up to me and started rubbing my belly. I said, "It's getting big huh?" Her eye lit up with a look are realization and then she said, "Are you going to have a baby?" I replied, "Yes" to which she replied, "Oh I can't wait to meet it!" So cute.

Another girl in a different class eyed me rubbing my belly today and slyly asked, "What are you doing". I said, "What do think I'm doing". I could tell she was thinking I was pregnant but she wouldn't say it. Later on the same conversation took place. Then she and two other girls were whispering about it. I walked out of the room for a moment and they had told their teacher the "secret" and she told them, "Maybe you should ask Miss Dixie". They finally asked me if I was pregnant. It was just so cute how they were all whispering about it but wouldn't say anything. It is so much fun that other people are starting to realize I am pregnant without having to tell them.

Also Chad was talking to Genevieve (the name were are toying with for now) and he had his ear on my belly and felt her kick (or punch) for the first time. So exicting. Can you tell it is our first?

Anyways, I just wanted to share some of the excitement I have been feeling lately. Things are really starting to feel real.

Party Time!

Rock on, Party Time, Excellent!

To those of you who came we had a blast at our Rock Band Party. To those of you who RSVP'ed and didn't come....phooey on you. Just kidding I know you all had really good reasons. Things happen. We'll have to do another one sometime. We had a great time. Some dressed up, some did not. Next time we will have to make dressing up mandatory. I didn't think people would want to, but I think those who came dressed up had a lot of fun doing it. Case in point, check out this pic of Travis.



Those in attendance were Melissa and her husband Tony, Marie-Claire and her boyfriend Bruce and of course Travis was there. We sang the night away (well it think it was 9:30 when the party wound down...late for me). Below is a pic from upstairs.


That is Melissa on the guitar, Travis on the drums, Chad is singing and Bruce is on the bass. Rock on Inverted Moustache!! We won a van, a tour bus, roadies and a private jet!

Below is the shirt I made for the party using my printer and Iron-on printer paper.


Cute huh? Who knew I could be so creative.

Earlier this week Chad and his team from work had a team event at the bowling alley. Chad won first place with scores of 145 and 135. They were all amazed because a lot of people didn't even break one hundred. The grand prize was not announced until the next day. What did he win? A $100 gift certificate to El Gaucho. Funny huh? Considering we just ate there last week. We are looking forward to enjoying the El Gaucho experience again.

In baby news, I just yesterday started feeling the baby kick from the outside. I can't wait for Chad to feel it. I was so excited to announce to the world that we were having a baby girl that I made a shirt for that too.



For this shirt I used a sparkle I found on the Internet, a printer Iron-on and my new Bejeweler pro (http://www.creative-crystal.com/cgi-bin/frontrunner.cgi?ri=105&pln=BJ&rc=CRST&ro=T&rs=T&ctc=19) to add the rhinestones. I know it is hard to tell but these crystal rhinestones are gorgeous in the light. The Bejeweler and rhinestones were a Christmas gift from my mom. Thanks mom.

Last night Chad and I went to see Mame. Here are my preggo pics from that.




The show was a little slow but the actors were great. It's one of those, "OK, now I have seen Mame, checked that off my list, don't need to see it again."

I cannot believe it is March already. I fear these next few months will fly by and before I know it I'll have a baby girl in my arms. There is a lot to look forward to in March. On the 12th I have another doctor's appointment. I have to take the Glucose test to see if I have Gestational Diabetes. Wish me luck. The 15th, Chad and I are taking our first of three Hypnosis for birth classes (http://hypnosisforbirth.com/hypnosisforbirth/index.htm). The 21st, Melissa, Tony, Chad and I are going to see Mama Mia (can't wait!). The 31st is the start of Spring Break! Woo hoo. Chad and I are going to Vegas for 3 days. I am hoping to take a crochet class that starts this week. Mom's birthday is this month too! March should be fun. I'll do my best to keep you posted.