20 weeks and a heartbeat check

As of Tuesday, I am 20 weeks pregnant. (when does the morning sickness stop??)
I am feeling better, more energy, awake to do more, not sleeping great -- but that is never anything new.. the baby is moving a lot, mostly when I sit to relax and fortunately, there has been minimal muscle spasms.

Today we are going to the dr. for a belly check -- routine appt. -- just moved up a little because of I won't be here next week for my appt. :) Because it is school vacation week, we are keeping Miranda home and taking her for the appt. She will finally get to hear the baby's heartbeat too.. it's exciting to see her so excited about it.. if we are lucky, they might have to do a mini-ultrasound too, which will let her see the baby... she is going to be such a good big sister, she gets excited over all this little stuff now -- just like us..

if I only knew better -- I would be changing the tv for my screaming child.. but she is making me NUTS!!
:) Monique

4 1/2 days...

That is how long before we leave.. Sunday morning we go on vacation..DH is finally going back home to Australia.. he is excited, but nervous -- worried about me, the pregnancy, keeping Miranda busy during the flight, getting along with his parents, since we are staying with them, and especially the best man speech he has yet to write. He is so sweet, so kind and caring, but he worries alot.. gotta' love him.

Most of what we need to get done is already done or being planned on getting done.. I have managed to speed scrapbook my way to catching up my mil album for 2006.. she should be excited and we don't have to pay to ship it to her (I scrap book everything in Miranda's life for her, well, most it, and add dates and stories, simple 8 1/2 by 11 album, but she cherishes it -- or I hope she does) so excited about that, I also finished up a 6x6 album over the weekend for his cousin.
SIDE NOTE - I cataloged all my photos from 2006, 2007 and what little I have of 2008, so I know exactly what I have and have not scrapped.. I have also been ripping music for my MP3 player like mad.. I think I have all my favorite cd's done.. just a few that are still out in the car.. and then I need to do the same for Miranda.. funny that my daughter will be listening to the likes of Hannah Montana, Rick Springfield and then Nickelback.. really makes me laugh she does.

seriously, nothing is offically in suitcases, but things are organized in piles and bought.. I am thinking the final suitcase push will come on Saturday night, lay it all on the bed, inventory and pack one suitcase at a time.. I am hoping to do this in 3 big bags, one for each of us, and then 1 carry on for him, a big bag for me, my purse, her backpack and his backpack.. it's a very long flight and we need alot of things to keep us all busy...

this is going to be fun, and wonderful.. I hope it is..

if I knew better, I would once again be switching laundry and putting cd's away...
:) Monique

Monday-- once again..

well, my fondness for Monday's lives on.. haven't done as much as I would like around here, but it's all good.. the table is cleared off and the dishes are done.. on my 3rd load of laundry and second round of peanut butter crackers... it's a good day... didn't start out great.. baby wasn't fond of last night's pizza for dinner, but he or she learned to live with it..

I am planning on getting my act together at some point and getting to target, need some more stuff for the trip and have some returns to do.. the post office would be a great bonus too.. :)
we'll see..

I did clear off my side scrap table, so I can start moving stuff from the other side of my living room in the basement.. sooo exciting.. might actually make it through some boxes..

I love Mondays for this reason, just catch up and see progress sorta day.. makes me happy and sorta smile on the inside.. what makes you smile like this??

If I knew better, I would be switching laundry now.. getting load 4 started.. we'll see...
:) Monique

stay in bed

If I only knew better.. I would have stayed in bed today,
from hormones, to a really cold shower (no hot water), to forgetting my debit card at home..
today is just one of those days where you wish you could have stayed in bed..
seriously, only good thing is that I had breakfast with Cheryl and did a little shopping...
otherwise, between the ugly new clothes, a new medical bill and hormones.. I can honestly admit to calling it a day...
*sigh* it's only 2:15, I still have tons to do and get done..
Can I please just go back to bed??
:) Monique

washed the floors

Okay, since I became pregnant and actually knew about it, I have been really tired and fatigue really quickly.. so my housework has been slipping.. today I managed to really clean my floors the way I like.. moved the furniture and scrubbed away..
it's all I really did, but it felt SOOO good..

I have also discovered that people are reading this thing, so I am not as boring as I once thought..

If I knew better, I would have gone to bed a while ago, like I usually do, but darn that reality tv.. train wrecks are calling my name.. but it is so much better than watching stuff like Law & Order SVU and being up all night with weird dreams.. which I get all on my own.. Those of you in the know.. Remember ELMO??? the killer muppet of seasame street..
I promise to explain my little stroll on Ambien lane another time.. I am really too tired and starting to feel naseau ( this is a word I NEVER remember how to spell.. I MUST look it up and write it down like a million times..just so I remember.. like the word pigeon.. I still spell it PIG-E-ON.. just one of those things..

okay.. seriously rambling now..
Good night.
:) Monique

well.. another ultrasounds and it's a ...

Baby...
we were snuck in for a quick ultrasound.. just to peek.. we were hoping to have the GREAT tech, her name is Holly, seriously, this woman is so talented at what she does..
but another nice lady tried, she tried and tried too, we poked, coughed, giggled, everything..
the baby just kept wrapping it's legs tighter and tighter around the cord...
Oh well, we will try again another time..

If I knew better, I would be making dinner before I got too tired... we'll see..
:) Monique

Monday -- update...

well, it really was a productive day...
I managed to clean her room, my room, finish laundry, empty dishwasher & reload, PLUS cleaned up the playroom so that we can open up and air out the suitcases.. :)

I did not clean the bathroom, can you tell where my yuckiness in cleaning lies??

I did also make it to Michael's for the Making Memories lazy susan supplie holder.. Cheryl has one, and I was tired of coviting it.. so I spent my 25 bucks and I have one.. I am looking for tools and such to put in it now.. making me soooo smiley.. I love that my scrapping space is taking shape.. makes me almost want to start doing something besides making cards and baby books for others..
Almost..

I did start pricing paper for my australia album.. All I really want is 8 1/2 by 11 kraft colored or cream colored paper.. HARDEST THING in the world to find in bulk -- without paying a million dollars for it... I am slowly putting together the kit of stuff to take with me to scrap the vacation album as I go along.. I think if I do it there, Fuzzy can go out at night and I can just sit and chat with him mom and dad and keep busy.. PLUS, be productive.. one done album is one done album, plus, I am bringing a mini-album to make for my in-laws while I am there of Miranda's trip.. this little adventure also insures that I make to the scrapbook stores atleast once -- or atleast a craft store.. -- alterior motives are a wonderful thing..

I am off to clean and organize while my last load of laundry is washing.. I must be hitting the nesting stage of this pregnancy .. I am tired, but very much a cleaning machine.. which is good because I have been so relaxed about everything since I found out I was pregnant.. so, it's a win win for EVERYONE... who doesn't love a clean house??

If I only knew better.. I would logging off this computer instead of leaving here to play one quick (who am I kidding 4 or 5 quick games of solitaire)...
Good night..
:) Monique

a Monday

Okay.. It's Monday and I am feeling.. OK.. not great, not yucky..
I took Ambien last night and no funky Elmo dreams.. I am grateful for uninterrupted sleep...

Today I am working on cleaning up the house some.. I have a list of 5 things I would truly like to complete before 1ish when I have to head over to give my uncle his lunch..

these things include.
1 - clean her room - dust, vacc, and laundry, sheets... she does better with her allergies when I do this..
2. the bathroom -- umm.. needs a good once over..
3. fold towels & sheets
4. dishwasher empty and refill...
5. clean up my room OR wash the pans... neither of these are thrilling me,but need to be done.
getting this stuff done will allow me to play with my scrapbook mess some today.. and that would make me sooo happy..

If I knew any better, I would be working on this list and NOT rambling on here..
:) Monique

Groundhog day...

Okay, I figured I would take the time and post tonight since I won't likely make it on the computer tomorrow.. so..
HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY...

I love Groundhog Day! I know that many don't even consider it a holiday or think twice about it, but I personally love it.. It's cute, fun and harmless.. It's also all about tradition.. I love tradition.
In fact, my growing family has one of it's own. Every year for Groundhog Day, we order chinese food for dinner and actually eat it in the living room while we watch the movie on tv. We started the tradition when DH and I were first married and then continued it with Miranda.. it's silly, but fun.. she actually looks forward to it now.
A new part of the tradition is that I make cupcakes for day care, preschool or whatever Miranda happens to be in(this was my 3rd year making them) I usually make chocolate cupcakes(dirt), frosted with green (grass) and then pop a little peanut butter cookie in it.. The cookie is perfectly shaped like a groundhog, and I add mini m&m's for eyes, red gel for nose and white frosting teeth.. this year's were the best so far, I planned it right and timed it so that I wasn't rushing the whole things.. they were awesome. So we brought the cupcakes to school and I stayed to read some stories and share my Christmas present from my Uncle Paul -- my groundhog puppet.. seriously, this puppet ROCKED on Christmas.. coolest gift EVER! the kids loved it and i totally had their attention.. plus, I was my little girl's hero for being so cool with a snack and story time for her class.. GOTTA LOVE THAT!

so, yes, I am a freak who loves this holiday.. I love that the country stops, for a minute, not much longer to check in with the little groundhog. is the weather prediction accurate.. no, does it really matter.. NO.. it's about the tradition, the fun of just stopping for a few minutes to check out the tradition of things... it makes me smile and makes me think of when the world was just a little bit simpler.

Now, you can also take the fun to extremes and go to Pennsylvania and rock out with the crazies, which some year, I completely intend to do.. Fuzzy has promised me that one year, we will go.. probably when the little one is old enough to tolerate the cold.

So, please enjoy your Groundhog Day, remember the simplistic times of animals predicting the weather and smile -- it's about tradition...
Enjoy your day -- I know I will

If I knew better, I would be packing my bag to scrapbook with Cheryl and not writing this post so that I can take my medication and go get some very long overdue sleep... but yet, I continue to ramble...

:)Monique