I just made a yogurt shake with mango...mangos are hairy...unless the cat snuck a hairball in the blender.
I have an interview today!!!! I'm a little nervous because I want this job so much. It's for a caseworker position in Child Protective Services. It's part-time weekends but it starts at $18/hour so it would be perfect for when the baby comes!!!!! I could still substitute until then as well.

So overall I'm feeling great these days except for my poor back...that baby is sitting on my sciatic nerve...and it doesn't help when I've been working and lugging around kiddos all day. I've still only gained about five pounds but i'm sure that will happen eventually. Tomorrow is 17 weeks. Only 2 more weeks till we find out if it's a baby girl or a baby boy. According to the slower hair growth on my legs its a girl...but since my figure is still in tact it's a boy. Barry thinks the Chinese Conception Calender is most accurate: Age: 25 + Conception Month: August = BOY.
Anyways...must go get ready for work and my interview!!!

Christmas Wish List Update

BARRY
6. Biker Boots Website Link: Click Here

1. $8000
2. Tattoo Gun
3. New Fenders for the Harley
4. Running Boards for the Harley
5. Helmet


NESHAMAH
6. Very interested in Cuisinart Food Processor (11-14 Cup)-will also use to make baby food
7. Burt's Bees Line
8. Bath and Body Works Lavender Pillow Mist and Midnight Path Body Butter

1. massages
2. theatre tickets: Nonesuch Theater, Lincoln Center, Bas Bleu Theater, Carousel Dinner Theater, etc...
3. gym membership
4. yoga class membership
5. money

BOBBY
2. Walmart Gift Cards would be of great use

1. FOOD

A Day Off....

I have an online photo album through Snapfish...I also have dial up internet access...so it is impossible to upload through the uploader they use...I have to instead email my photos 5-10 at a time depending on the size to the snapfish website. Then I have to organize them into albums, etc from there. I am currently in the middle of the biggest project right now...uploading the wedding photos...it takes about an hour and a half for each email to go through...I have about 50 emails auto scheduled to send...how many days will I have to wait? I don't even want to know.

I was so excited that my super low waist jeans still fit so perfectly...even though they had a hole in the knee...BUT yesterday I wore them and my hips must be spreading wider bc they are tight now. I am keeping my eye out for sales at old navy maternity...I currently have one pair of maternity jeans that are actually too loose but they work just fine as long as I pull them up every 10 minutes...I guess my butt is supposed to grow too...in fact I think it shrunk and relocated to my chest.

So no work today...I am currently subbing for the UCC childcare center and for the district but only in Head Start PS classrooms and at the Lab School. I truly don't have the energy to go to a new classroom daily...especially alone with 20+ kids. At least in the Preschool classrooms there are paras and others who are regularly with the kids and I know all/most the teachers/kids at the Lab School.

Today I will finish laundry, sweep because with three cats and a dog I might as well sweep 5 times a day, do the dishes Barry said he'd do yesterday, maybe babysit, make chicken soup, vacuum, dust, finish my picture uploading project, and maybe try to christmas shop a little...I only shop online and have for the last three years at least...I hate shopping and part of it is that I can never make up my mind so it takes me ten times as long as it would shopping for myself and even that's a process.

I love the sun...as I sit here in my computer room...the sun shines through the curtainless window-someday I'll be a real adult and get matching curtains in my house, maybe when it's truly MY house-and onto my back and it's really a nice way to spend the morning when the rest of the house is so shady. Maybe I'll even get a nice winter tan.

Thanksgiving

So yes...the snow came. Now it is bitter cold outside. At least the roads are all clear and dry.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!! We did!!! We went to my aunt and uncle's in Longmont with our cousins and brothers. Barry's stuffed mushrooms were a big hit as were my overly sweet 13 layer bars.

Now I'm watching Madison...who I've babysat since she was a few months old...now she's four. She says..."wouldn't it be really cool if your baby grew really fast and was four like me?"

Had Thanksgiving dinner/lunch at work today...all the parents brought a dish and so did the teachers. I went to work to help set up/clean up...YUM is all I have to say!!! I'm so excited for Thanksgiving dinner now!!! I'm going to make 7 layer bars and Barry is making stuffed mushrooms. Today I think I'll make some banana bread and freeze it for the coming months. I love baking! It's supposed to snow today and it feels like it too. I'm not quite ready for snow yet.

WEEKEND

click here----------->New Registry at Walmart <------click here

I found some furniture I like at Walmart...as well as a few other things...strollers, carseat, cloth diapers (yes I'm using cloth diapers or at least trying them)......If anyone has any info on whether 3 in 1 carseats or 3 in 1 crib/beds are better/worse than the one purpose kind...let me know...I have no idea...I think I'll be saving money if I get the infant to toddler carseat (I also don't like lugging around an infant carseat), and the crib to daybed to full size bed instead of just a regular crib or other kind of baby bed. Also any info on cloth diapers or diaper services in Fort Collins area would be useful.

I have also updated my Target registry...there may be duplicates between the sites but who can't use lots of onesies and blankies.

Anyways...lazy weekend...hung out with Molly and we ordered Chinese food and watched Mr. Brooks last night. Went to the new park in Fort Collins today...huge dogpark...Harley really had no idea what to do with himself....too many dogs, too short attention span.

Waiting to feel the baby kick these days...may happen as early as now: 15 weeks or not until 22 weeks-ish. I may have felt it and not even recognized it...who knows.

GROWING A BABY: MUST CONCENTRATE














IT WORKED!

New Pictures

15 weeks today. Went to the doctor...heart beat is at 150 bpm now. Next month we'll get an ultrasound at PVH. We'll hopefully get to see if it's a boy or girl then. The doctor will check the heart, brain, and spinal cord to make sure everything is developing normally...thats the main reason for it. So..if I didn't have the pregnancy program insurance then it would be $75/visit. I'm so lucky to be in CO...we take really good care of people without insurance who get pregnant.

I went shopping for more clothes...Yay for Ross...I finally had to get some shirts since the ones I have don't go over the maternity pants elastic band and that looks tacky. I wonder how long they'll work for though...I remember someone I knew getting so pregnant even the pregnant shirts wouldn't cover the belly with arms up. Barry doesn't think I'll get as big as I do...we measured to see how big we thought I'd get.

Oh yeah...here's my new haircut also: What do you think?

AHHH...oatmeal bath....
So I got my hair cut again. I don't know if I like the look yet...it's so short. I do love how easy it is to do though!!!!

Sunday

Thank You Christine for the NY onesie!!!! It's soooo cute!!

And Thank You Aunt Doreen for the list book...I am a list person...and I've finally had a chance to start filling it out. :) YAY!!

So the rash is looking more horrible than ever...I wish it would just go away...I already don't feel entirely like myself...and now I don't look it either.

Today I babysat...this morning I got to take a 2 year old to gymnastics at the Mountain Kids Center! That was pretty fun...I grabbed a brochure for when the time comes. First she came to my house and met my animals (cats: Jerry, Mosi, and Turtle & Dog: Harley)...then she colored...a favorite pastime since I get out a bucket of pens, markers, and pencils...and hand it over to the kids hoping that they won't draw with permanent marker on the floor or on their face..she drew circles and stayed on the paper! She also played with a large bucket of toys that I have for such events....she found little animals that expanded from those pills...and fell in love with them...I let her keep them! She kept asking: what is this one? will it stand up? And she can say my name better than some five year olds I know!!!
Then tonight I watched a little boy...10 months...who is still taking his first tentative steps...we played hide-and-seek!!! I crawled around a corner or two and he followed till he found me! Very cute! We read lots of stories too. Kids amaze me daily!

Anyways....I finally had a dream that I had a girl...but she wasn't an infant and I wasn't as attached...I think that she was about a year old. When I dreamed of boys..they were infants. Now I'm confused!

My memory still hasn't come back to me...if anything it's getting worse...
So is this aggravating rash...My theory that scratching it off of me would work is probably counterproductive I've now realized! It's on my face...so obvious my brother in law took a step back and exclaimed his amazement when he saw me this morning. Oh well I guess...It can't last forever...I'll just try to explain to strangers that I'm not a leper...only pregnant and rashy. Blah.
My horoscope said that my life is going through big changes, perhaps related to family....and that I should focus on the positive. I love how pertainable those things are to any circumstance or person. Anyways...I should get some rest since I'm on call to babysit tonight for my friend if she gets called out to work since she's an on call social worker.

Oh Yeah! I'm applying for a social caseworker position that is part time, weekends, 20 hrs/week, on-call...starting $18/hour. I really hope I get it so wish me luck! My temporary toddler teacher position ends this wednesday since Andrea is back in toddlers from maternity leave! :-) and :-( !

Going to Longmont tomorrow...for sunday family dinner...Christie's gonna cut my shaggy hair!!! ok..seriously...g'nite!

Xmas List

So I've decided upon my xmas list...I usually can't think of anything I want...but this year I've actually decided....of course...no one is ever really expected to get me anything...I'm usually horrible at giving gifts anyway so I don't really expect any (except from Barry..because he likes to and I'll always get him socks if nothing else)

1. massages
2. theatre tickets: Nonesuch Theater, Lincoln Center, Bas Bleu Theater, Carousel Dinner Theater, etc...
3. gym membership
4. yoga class membership
5. money

Barry's List looks like this:
1. $8000
2. Tattoo Gun
3. New Fenders for the Harley
4. Running Boards for the Harley
5. Helmet

I've asked him for specific brands and types on all b/c I have no idea....I will update if he ever fills me in.

My parents got us some Melissa and Doug blocks, some Melissa and Doug wooden instruments, and Raffi's Baby Beluga CD!!! Thank YOU!!! I am so excited. I just wish we had a place to start setting up a baby room...

Dreams & Belly Dancing

I had some weird dreams last night...first that I had a baby but when I couldn't remember the labor...which makes sense b/c I don't really know what it will be like...Someone explained that Bobby shot out a window on the second floor so we could get into our house...I dont' know what that had to do with it. Also that I couldn't find my baby to nurse it and when I did someone was giving it a bottle already...also the baby was so big that my arm was falling asleep holding it. WEIRD. It was a boy again...that's the third dream I've had and they've all been boys.

I'm spending the weekend in Estes Park...to hang out with my bff and her kiddo.

Bobby will officially be all moved out tomorrow...most of his stuff is set up over there already but he's just hanging out tonight with his buddies down the street tonight.

Took a belly dancing class tonight! I enjoyed it...I think I'd like to keep it up...every friday.

Oh...I'm losing my mind...I locked my keys in the car a couple days ago. I had just been talking about it also and then I did it. We were walking back to the car and I said 'where are my keys?...bobby answered...'you left them on the front seat"...I said "didn't i just say that I was afraid of doing that' ...he thought i knew and just didn't lock the door this time...who knows.....lol. Luckily I could squeeze my arm in the partially opened window to unlock the door...b/c we were in Loveland and Barry was at darts...not that I even remember where my spare keys are. I can't remember anything at work..at home...anything...

Doc Visit

Went to the doc today...got a crazy rash all over my chest, back, spreading to my stomach and neck and face. YAY! So he said it was a virus and I just had to wait for it to go away...as far as he knew...no test for it. Could most likely be pityriasis rosea. I'll have to research that one. He also said I was big for the due date...haha...he looked for twin heartbeats. Only found 1 though. Heartbeat is at 160 bpm now.

Here's what the research said...
Definition
Pityriasis rosea is a common type of skin rash seen in young adults.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Pityriasis rosea occurs most commonly in the fall and spring. It is believed to be caused by a virus. Although pityriasis rosea may occur in more than one person in a household at a time, it is not thought to be highly contagious.
Attacks generally last 4 - 8 weeks. Symptoms may disappear by 3 weeks or last as long as 12 weeks. There is generally a single large patch (herald patch) followed several days later by a rash.

Symptoms
Skin lesion or rash
Starts with a single (herald) lesion
Followed several days later by more lesions
May follow cleavage lines or appear in a "Christmas tree" pattern
Oval plaque, papule, or macule
Sharp border
May spread
Centers have wrinkled (cigarette paper) appearance
The lesions appears like a scale that is attached at the edges and loose at the center
Itching of the lesions (mild to severe)
Skin redness or inflammation

Signs and tests
Your health care provider can usually diagnose pityriasis rosea by the way the rash looks. A blood test may be needed to rule out a form of syphilis, which can cause a similar rash. Occasionally, a skin biopsy may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment
If symptoms are mild, no treatment may be needed.
Gentle bathing, mild lubricants or creams, or mild hydrocortisone creams may be used to soothe inflammation. Antihistamines, taken by mouth, may be used to reduce itching.
Moderate sun exposure or ultraviolet light treatment may help make the lesions go away more quickly. However, care must be taken to avoid sunburn.

Expectations (prognosis)
Pityriasis rosea usually goes away within 6 - 12 weeks. Recurrences are unusual.

Calling your health care provider
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have symptoms of this disorder.

Reviewer Info: Michael S. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.; ADAM Health Illustrated Encyclopedia, 10/16/2006

OH...my best friend from MD is coming out to visit!!! I'm so excited!