Junk Drawer - 02/28/2012

Examples of TMI aka Too Much Information

Let's see....examples...I think telling you that I'm currently experiencing the worst urinary tract infection I've ever had along with a yeast infection and hemorrhoids might qualify as TMI.  Just in case it is I'll just not tell you.

Peeing Needles, Every 5 Seconds

Always a blast.

Off to take a warm bath.

Week 24 Is A Little Corny

The weather has been really nice here lately which I love and hate simultaneously. It’s February people! I want it to be cold, gray, overcast, snowy, icy…wintery! On the other hand it’s been nice to pull out my capris and wear them comfortably and it’s nice enough Jimmy can get some play time in the yard and run some energy out.

We hit week 11…wait, what…I mean 24 today and that means CORN. Which brings to mind the corn chowder recipe I tried recently and didn’t like. I took it to my mom’s where it got rave reviews…leading me to believe that I just don’t like corn chowder. It looked so good when The Pioneer Woman was making it though! Elote (corn), not in soup form, is a big hit in my house though which makes it perfect that The Niño’s progress is represented by it this week. As has become a recent trend in this particular post – I’ll also post the “cooler” graphic from that other website. I can’t believe I’m already 5 months pregnant!

Junk Drawer - 2/23/2012

A Flash of Cankle

Back in the day when women wore dresses that covered them from chin to heel a little accidental flash of ankle (or maybe purposeful depending on the girl) was enough to send a man into a swoon and provoke passionate declarations of love and devotion. Or so I’ve heard.

I wore denim capris yesterday and I’m wearing white capris today – because the weather is so dang beautiful. If the nice weather holds I may turn all of my maternity pants into intentional capris so I don’t have to be embarrassed about accidental highwaters. I digress. Needless to say I’m offering more than a flash of ankle in my capris but since the swelling has finally set in – in my left foot only – the flash of cankle I’m offering has not and more than likely will not provoke any passionate declarations of love or devotion.

I’m okay with that.

"Ojitos" (vid)

“Ojos” is Spanish for “eyes” – “Ojitos” isn’t a real word but more like slang for “little eyes”. Or in other words squinting. Ojitos is something Jimmy has learned to do and it’s the cutest thing ever. He does it when you ask him to and sometimes he does it without being asked. He does it when he thinks something is funny, when he’s giving you a huge grin, when he’s in trouble, when you wink at him…

He’s also learning to bat his eyes…adorable!

La Esquina de Jimmy (Jimmy's Corner)

We have such a sweet little boy but he’s such a boy’s boy. I can’t really say man’s man yet can I? Here is an example of what I mean – I keep a hammer in Jimmy’s room. I’m positive that means I’m an exemplary Mamma. His room doubles as the office and for some reason I used a hammer in there and then never took it out. His room is FULL of toys and other things to get into but he always gravitates towards the hammer and wants to hold it and play with it. I finally did the logical thing and hid it in a banker box (instead of removing it) and that solved that problem for awhile. Until he found it. Now when we’re in his room/the office he heads toward that banker box sooner or later to find the hammer.

But along with his love of hammers and all things tools he’s also quick to defend himself when a threat, real or imagined, arises. Sure, he’s a baby still and he gets scared of things he’s not familiar with but mostly he’s ready to strike at a moment’s notice…no matter how big you are.

Whats 4 Days?? - Week 23

Another week! For some reason these last three weeks have dragged by. I feel like I should be 25 or 26 weeks pregnant by now. This pregnancy has definitely had phases of speeding up and slowing down. I guess I’m in a slow down phase.

Last week’s Midwife report: The Niño’s heart rate was 160 and he measured a week ahead. Mamma’s blood pressure dropped a little which was really great and I’ve only gained 7 lbs over all! Things are looking good.

On the advice of the midwife I’ve embarked on a low-sodium diet. What that means to me is no French fries, no chips, no pizza and no popcorn. Should be easy right? I’ll do myself a favor and not tell you guys how many times I’ve already fallen off the wagon…in less than a week.

Mommy-Hood

First of all…my name is not “Mommy”…it’s “Mamma”. At least until Jimmy starts calling me something that can’t be undone. I have a vivid memory of the kid that I played house with on the playground at Kings Way Language School calling his mom “Mommy”. I was in kindergarten, maybe barely 1st grade, and Paul (I think that was his name) disgusted me with his use of “Mommy”. It sounded so babyish and I didn’t like him to be my husband when we played house…I only chose him if there was no one else to play the part. Since then I’ve always known that my kids would call me “Mamma”.

I don’t remember ever calling my mom “Mommy” although she would probably remember better than I do. So I don’t think I’m being a hypocrite…if she does remember me calling her that maybe she can just keep that to herself. ;-)

Junk Drawer - 02/17/2012

Heavenly Ambrosia Punch Recipe

Okay, so that isn't the actual name but that's what every taste bud on my tongue says with every sip of this stuff.  I've had some pretty delicious punch in my time (my mom's comes to mind) and this one is every bit as delicious in creamy, creamy, pineappley way.

1/2 Gal. Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
1 Qt. Blue Bell Pineapple Sherbet
2 Liter Hawaiian Punch
2 Liter Ginger Ale

Spoon ice cream and sherbet into punch bowl.  Pour Hawaiian Punch and Ginger Ale in and give it a quick swirl.  Ambrosia!

8:35 am

No matter what anyone may tell you - 8:35 am is an excellent time to have punch...even if its leftover punch from the day before.

Flooding?

Approximately 3-4 days out of a 5 day work week if you see me dressed in my work clothes you might wonder if a flood is coming.  It is a little rainy today and forecasted for scattered thunderstorms but contrary to what my highwater maternity pants try to tell you - God promised it wouldn't flood that bad again.  He even gave us the rainbow to prove it. 

Collection

Now let us pass the plate/bucket/hat/bowl in order to provide Poor Pepper with better fitting pants.

Let us pray.

La Esquina de Jimmy (Jimmy's Corner)

“No one puts Baby in a corner!”

And now a new segment devoted to my firstborn son (as if a blog named after him isn’t enough).

*On a side note the name of the blog may change at a later date but I must wait upon the fickle whims of Ms. Inspiration.

His brother has a weekly post written about his progress, changes and growth. So I thought it might be fun to have a space that’s just for Jimmy. After hearing a random Dirty Dancing quote yesterday and then going home and playfully discussing with his Daddy which corner in our house would be a good one for Jimmy to stand in when he needs to - this segment was conceived.

Exsquash Me, Papaya You Say?? - Week 22

It’s funny how different pregnancy websites compare your precious unborn to completely different fruit and vegetables on the exact same week.

The website that I’ve been checking mostly says The Nińo is as long as a spaghetti squash this week. First of all, before Jimmy I never knew this colorful world of exotic squash existed. There is more than one type of squash?? Second of all, after viewing a picture of this spaghetti squash you must keep in mind you’re looking at the length of it…not the hugeness of the spaghetti squash overall. Even though my belly probably has enough inches to accommodate 2 or more spaghetti squash(es?) I’m quite sure that The Nińo can’t possibly be THAT big…yet. Supposedly, the average spaghetti squash is 11 inches and weighs in at about 1 lub (that’s how I pronounce “lb.”). Take a gander at this giant:

Week 22

Junk Drawer 2/10/12

Mathematical Admission

You know those adorable photos I posted yesterday in Jimmy's 17 month update?  You know the ones from a year ago?  This is the complicated formula my pregnant brain followed to decide exactly which photos were from a year ago.

Jimmy - 17 Months and 7 Days

Mamma’s 1st little boy…where do I begin with this update? First of all we just made the switch to size 5 diapers last night. It was something I’ve been putting off for a couple of weeks because it just seemed impossible that he could be in size 5 diapers already. But the need was pressing since size 4 was becoming more and more unreliable at holding “things” in.



Swaddled like a baby

 I’ve read and heard from other moms that at about 18 months a little switch goes off in their heads and things start clicking and they transition overnight to a full blown toddler and their “baby-ness” all but disappears. So I’m trying to absorb every little moment of the last month of his “baby-hood” that I can. I find myself watching him all the time these days. Marveling at how quickly he’s growing, how big he already looks and acts and how much of a baby he still is at the same time. I’m looking forward to seeing the things that “click” for him next month and the months following with a little sadness and a lot of excitement.



What A Day! - Week 21

My brain feels tired today and I’ve barely started the day. We sat and waited for three different trains that never showed up. Then when one finally did show up I kissed my boys good bye and ran to get on, got called a “whore” by a homeless lady and then discovered that every car of the train was packed like sardines. So I became a pregnant sardine on the middle car. If you know me at all you know that I’m not good with this whole balance yourself on two legs thing…on solid ground. So I ended up accidentally groping two different girls in my mad grabs for a pole to hold on to.

Mamma's Boys

+1 Is Also Out

“+1” just doesn’t work for me anymore and now that we know he’s a he “Little Pepper” doesn’t really work either. At home I call him “The Nino” mostly and have since the very beginning actually. But I don’t know how to put the accent mark over the second “n” and I don’t want people reading this and calling him The Neeeno instead of The Neeenyo. So here I sit trying to come up with nicknames to call this little guy when I should be writing work procedures instead.

Wombmate?
Gary?

I’m at a loss.

Maybe just The Baby. Or maybe I’ll just figure out the accent mark thing….

Going Bananas!! - Week 20

Halfway there! Yesterday was the actual halfway mark but I had already posted so much that I didn’t want everyone to tune out. So today is officially 20 weeks and 2 days! So a little more than halfway there!! Yeeeeeeee!!!

I have a little banana in my womb this week. It’s really hard to figure out why my waistline is now measuring 42 inches when all that I have in there basically equals a banana!! I wish I would have measured my waist at regular intervals all along but really I would have just been measuring bloat and not baby. Not saying that a banana and 42 inches doesn’t equal a little bit of bloat in there somewhere but you know what I mean. The really great thing is that I’ve only gained 1 inch!!! Just kidding!! Or am I???