It All Started with a Little Skittle...

Being pregnant I do a LOT of reading! I love to read so this is definitely not a complaint, just a fact. I read four or five books a week that discuss the development of the baby and the changes happening to me (because they all say something different), I read books for fun like Chicken Soup for the Expecting Soul, I read educational books on feeding and scheduling baby. However, in all of these 24 or so weeks of reading, I did not realize until yesterday that each time the writers discuss the size of the baby this week they always use a food item to relate to the baby's approximate size. I suppose the writers of these books think that food is something all pregnant ladies can relate to because we are all fatties. This week according to one of my books the baby weighs around 2 pounds and is between 12 and 15 inches in length. The baby is approximately the size of a roast ! This made me laugh out loud, so I read it to Michael. Really your comparing my baby to a chunk of...

Can you guess which stocking is Gabby's? Christmas Eve was a very special day! Michael and I were in Dallas and the most amazing thing happened... It snowed! Not like Texas snow, but real snow! At least two inches that stuck to the ground. I was beautiful to celebrate Christmas Eve like you always see on television and hear in songs. We truly had a white Christmas! Gabrielle has more exposure to snow in utero than I have in my entire life! I wanted to stay out in the snow, but Michael didn't want me to slip and fall and hurt Gabby and he wanted be to stay healthy so I only got a few minutes truly out in the freezing temperatures, but I loved every minute of it! (I will post the pictures soon!)

Michael and I go walking about a mile and a half a few days a week so that I get some sort of exercise. We typically walk at night because it is dark by the time I get off work so we really don't have a choice. On a recent walk I stepped on the longest worm I've ever seen! Mike looked back at it and realized it was really a snake! So of course he had to go pick it up, inspect it, and show it to me. I'm glad it was a small snake! We kept walking after Mike was done looking at it and then less than a block later there was another small snake in the middle of the sidewalk! This one was even smaller than the previous snake and I didn't step on this one! Michael thought it was crazy that in one night we saw TWO snakes when we have never seen another snake during our walks. I'm just glad Ranger wasn't with us because he would have probably been so scared Mike would have had to carry him home!

Last night Mike and I went over to my parents' house for dinner. Earlier in the day Mom had let me open some of Gabby's Christmas gifts. After dinner, Michael was given the last 3 gifts to open. Mom told him to guess what they were before opening them. when Mike picked up a small rectangular package Mom said, "Now, if you guess that one right I'll give you a 100 bucks!" So Michael picked up the package, shook it next to his hear, commented that one side was heavier than the other, and then thought for a moment. Then he exclaimed, " Budreaux's butt creme!!" and slammed the package on the table without opening it. Mom's jaw dropped and she exclaimed, how did you know?? Michael explained his thought process and then opened the gift. It was Budreaux Butt Paste... So although he technically didn't get the name 100% correct he guessed the correct item. We were all in awe and laughing. So last night Michael banked quite a few babysittin...

When I was 19 and working at Mailboxes Etc., a girl that worked their briefly (a single teen mom) told me this: "When you have a baby, you get more smarter." That basically sums up how I feel lately. I don't think my brain functions like it used to! I never understood pregnant brain until now, but I know it's true! Speaking of pregnant brain, I have decided Mike must be pregnant because he has pregnant brain and many other symptoms. Mike frequently forgets what he is doing in the middle of working on an activity, he forgets important scheduled events even if they are written down, he doesn't know he is hungry until he is STARVING, and he eats like an elephant. He told me I should have sympathy for him when he forgets things because that is his life every day, while my forgetfulness is temporary.

So here is the life of this pregnant mommy to be with only 100 days to go: The longest I have made it without morning sickness: 2 weeks and 1 day I have gained 23 or 26 pounds (depending on when you start counting) I am energetic for the most part I can no longer see my toes when sitting and attempting to paint them (Thanks Lacey for painting them for me!) I sleep in 2 hour increments thanks to the bigger belly and the smaller bladder Michael and my life already revolve around our little miracle I am bored! Apparently once you are pregnant (and showing) your friends think you are no longer capable of going out and having fun I am becoming organized...2 closets are clean/organized, one will be emptied by my parents, so then the baby's closet can be cleaned, our room is almost organized, and I have thrown away about 15 bags of trash and given 6 or 7 bags of items to Goodwill. I no longer work any Fridays so have that time to concentrate on cleaning and organizing our house...

This morning I had my glucose test administered bright and early. Of course I woke up with morning sickness and had to take a pill for nausea, which luckily didn't affect the test results like I feared it might. I downed an orange flavored flat Sunkist type drink and then waited an hour. I had heard horror stories about this awful tasting drink, but I have no complaints about the taste and I don't even care for sugary drinks on most good days. A few minutes after drinking the glucose drink I had my monthly doctor's appointment. When the nurse listened to the baby's heartbeat, which was a mere 139 to 140 beats per minute, I could her "thunk," "thunk," "thunk" because she was all hyped up on such a large amount of sugar that she is not used to. So all I have to say to all of my pregnant friends out there is don't stress over this glucose test, it's no where near as bad as everyone makes it out to be! The worse part for me was...

So, all of you mommys and daddys please leave your comments of any advice that I am now soliciting from you. Anything would be great! One of my friends told me about the miracle blanket she swears by. Any recommendations of items or things I should do? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thanks

So first off, let me tell you that I thought I was 26 weeks this week instead of the 24 I really am which sort of bummed me out at first...but not for long! The reason 26 weeks is significant is that is the end of my second trimester and the beginning of my third! Don't get me wrong, I am excited to be 6 months pregnant, that means only 3 months to go right? WRONG! Only a little less than 4 months! I am no math whiz but I thought that was simple math. The official date of my 6th month celebration was December 4th, which was Friday. How did we celebrate this joyous occasion?!? With SNOW of course!! Houston made history on this day having the earliest snow in its known history! Below is a picture of Gabby enjoying the first snow of her in utero life (Mike made me take this picture).