suck it up buttercup

i finally did it. i made the switch from regular jeans to preggo jeans. i don't know why i had such a hang-up about it, but i did. it was like i thought maybe i could get by in my regular jeans for the whole entire pregnancy. well maybe i could - but why be so uncomfortable? up until monday i used the "leave your jeans un-zipped, rubber-banded together (let's be honest, i can't even do the rubber band trick anymore), slip on a bella band and wear a long shirt/sweater" method. yeah after accidently showing too many people my un-zipped pants during christmas (and getting sick and tired of the bella band restricting my eating), i decided enough was enough and i bought me some preggo jeans. and boy oh boy do i love them. they are so comfy and they are actually cute (i think? or is it just the added comfort that makes me think they are so cute?) they are a little weird to get use to - with the big band at the top and all - but oh boy! i sooooo should have done this a few weeks ago. my number one piece of preggo advice thus far: suck it up and buy the jeans girls. pay a little extra $ and get 'em cute. they really do look like normal jeans. (the girl at pea in the pod told me they really are - just with a band. i think there is some added spandex in there-but whatever) after all - if you are going to have to gain some pounds, might as well have some cute jeans to squeeze yourself into! i am pretty sure that i might be tempted to wear these on down the road after #10 gets here.

in other news, while it is quite clear to me that i am showing, it is not so clear to others. i find myself quite frustrated when others don't agree that i am as big as i think i am. people have told me i look like i ate a big meal or that they can't tell a difference or just laugh at me when i show them my "bump". mat has learned to oblige me and tell me that yes, i most definitely am showing. he has also gotten good at warning people that they need to tell me that i look pregnant. i just want to be past the "is she chubby or is she growing a baby from scratch?" stage. oh well - i am sure in a few months i will be reading this blog and laughing that i actually wanted to get a bigger bump=) for now i am healthy, happy and feeling great!

17 1/2 weeks.

Christmas in Denver!

We just got back from a whirl-wind Christmas celebration in Denver. With Marshall living in Denver doing his surgery residency, we decided to get the Goods and the Bells together this year and celebrate in Colorado. Mat and I are really blessed to have parents that are friends and enjoy hanging out - so we all love getting together for holidays.

Marshall (aka Jan Bell) hosted Christmas Eve with crab claws flown in from Florida (thank you Jim & Jan!), tons of yummy apps and my mom's world famous soapapilla cheesecake.

Christmas morning was beautifully lazy with an incredible brunch, presents, mimosas, egg nog and and all out fun time of sitting around together and catching up.

Marshall finished rounding just the nick of time and showed up in his traditional scrubs, Rockies hat and cowboy boots.

It was a beautiful day of family togetherness. #10 even got to participate as he/she got some fun gifts. (It seems that every outfit that baby has is sports related. Hope they are as big a sports fan as their dad!!)

My dad and I made our traditional Christmas chocolate fudge pie.

We ate lots of yummy food, took naps and enjoyed each others' company. It was a wonderful holiday together!

We hope you and your family enjoyed a wonderful time together as well!

Happy New Year!!

Lessons from this week...

Wow its been a busy week! Can' believe Christmas is THIS week! Wahoo!!

Here are a few things I learned this week...

1. How to change the oil in my car. (Thank you Erin!) Waaaaay easier than I ever thought=) now to spend the saved money on clothes...

2. There are some things you should NEVER say to a grieving family who lost a loved one or a pregnant lady. When in doubt, don't say it. If said person is crying uncontrollably, you should probably stop what you are saying.... just a thought.

3. There is finally a limit to the amount of chex mix and puppy chow I can eat. uggggh.

4. My most favorite sound on earth is Baby Good's heart beat. He seems to be quite the mover and the shaker=)

5. If you think you should maybe order a few extra Christmas cards - do it. You will need them.

6. Maternity pants aren't THAT bad and they are way more comfy .

7. There really is nothing like going home for the holidays.

8. Funerals should never include altar calls. Its just not right.

9. After 29 years, my dad is still my most favorite preacher.

10. I know it sounds crazy but Whole Foods really does have some great deals!

What about you? What did you learn this week?

While you were sleeping...

...I was peeing.

I have quickly found out that a pregnant body is a peeing body. I'm okay with this MOST of the time - except when it interrupts my beauty sleep. I am an 8 hour/night sleeper. I LOVE my sleep. Love it. And I HATE getting up for any reason in the middle of the night. (Yes I know this is going to change - no need to tell me.) In my entire history, I can count on 1 hand the number of times I have gotten out of my nice, warm, comfy bed in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom - that is until recently. What I hate most about it, is that I am interrupted from a dream (preggo dream = a mix between crazy and entertaining) and then I can't shut my brain off, so I am up for about an hour, tossing and turning convincing myself to go back to sleep.

2:07 Wake up, stumble to the bathroom, still half asleep, take care of business, enter crazy thoughts. Here is how the next hour unfolds:

(glancing in the mirror on my way back to bed) "maybe I'm starting to look a little more preggo and less chubby? My kids say I look pregnant, but what do they know about having a baby? I better roll onto my left side. The books say I should start sleeping on my left. What I would give to sleep on my back right now?! (Let's be honest - what I wouldn't give for a corona on the beach in Mexico right now, but that's not going to happen) But then blood flow is cut off to the baby. Oh wait, am I dizzy? Am I short of breath?! That's a sign of the baby not getting enough oxygen. I was only on my back for 5 minutes!! I wonder if some of my students didn't get enough oxygen before they were born? Speaking of... I am really worried about student A and student B. I hope they are at school on Monday. Oh great - is our baby is going to act like some of my students? I love them - but I think several missed school the day that "thinking" was taught. Is baby Good learning vicariously through the womb?! 'EAR MUFFS BABY GOOD! EAR MUFFS! Don't listen to mama's students!' Then we will have to get them into a really good specialist and years of counseling to get them out of this lack-of-thinking business! By that time we might be knee deep in socialized health care- It will take years to get into a doctor- Heck it'll take months to get in just for a flu shot!! What will we do then? OH don't get me started on this whole mess! Our nation has no idea what it is in for!! the whole thing makes me so incredibly mad. I have to go to sleep - this is ridiculous!

****** Yoga thinking: my toe are asleep. My feet are asleep. My ankles are heavy. I can't move my shins - they are so weighted down.

Weight. Am I gaining too much weight? I can't stop eating! I'm not having twins, am I? Just today I ate peanut butter/jelly on toast, cheese fries with bacon, a cheese burger, more pb&j toast, super yummy apps at christmas party #1, full out dinner + extra spin dip at party #2 and topped it off with a PW sugar cookie when I got home UGGGGHHHH!!

******* Yoga thinking: My pores are getting sleepy. My hair follicles are tired. Enjoy my breathing. Enjoy it.

Enjoy it?! My left shoulder hurts! Right side. nope - no better. UGGHHHH!! Okay what should we get everyone for Christmas this year? Why haven't my Christmas cards come in yet. I need to address them. I should have ordered more. Cue random song - there is always a random song that makes it way into my thoughts: You better watch out. You better not pout. You better not cry I'm telling you why. Santa Clause is coming to town. He sees you when your sleeping..... UGHHHHHHH!! SLEEPING!! Left side again. I have to get up in 2 hours to run, albeit slowly. At least now its cold and there aren't near as many bikers out!

******** Self hypnotherapy this time: You are getting very sleepy. You can't move your body. You can only hear your breathing (And your dogs' and husband's snoring).

CLEARLY I could keep going. But I am sure I already lost most of you somewhere along the way of my monologue. My brain is pretty much a mess when it comes to waking up in the middle of the night. I would say I hope it gets better - but I hear it only gets worse from here.

Here is a 15 week picture. I go back and forth between thinking I am starting to show and then freaking out because I think maybe I should be bigger by now. God bless my wonderful husband for putting up with my insanities.

"You're Getting Fatter, Mrs. Good"

Around the time I announced to my school that we were expecting, I went ahead and told my students. I didn't really know how to tell them or if they would really care or not. Their responses might have been my favorites out of everybody's. My position with my students is a little unique. Since I am an ELL teacher, I pretty much have the same students year after year - so we definitely form quite a bond. To tell my students my news, I flashed a picture of our #10 onesie up on the screen. It definitely took them a while to get why that would be up there. (What's that? Is that for messy babies? Why does it say Good?? Are you having a BABY?!!!!) When they figured it out - they were excited. Here are some of the responses:

You're having a BABY??!

Can we throw you a shower?!

Can we come to your shower??

Can I buy you a big screen TV? (uhm - duh, of course!)

You're married, right?

When? Why don't you have a big stomach?

Who's going to take care of the baby?

Who's going to take care of us?

Can we see it?

No you're not. You have a flat stomach. (okay, this is my new favorite student)

Bye-bye Baby Good (patting my stomach as they left for the day - kind of weird)

As the weeks have progressed and my stomach has grown a tad (who's knows it's probably just bloat or constipation) their comments have also increased:

You really are pregnant! Your stomach is getting bigger. (gee thanks.)

Yep, your stomach is getting fatter. (again, thanks.)

I thought my sister was lying - but I can tell you are going to have a baby!

What are you going to name it? (the most asked question) Good? Bumblebee? (no idea)

They've all started to refer to it as Baby Good and make sure to tell it hi and bye as they come and go. These kiddos are cracking me up. I love how excited they get!!

In totally unrelated news, here is a picture of Mat and I at the Internal Medicine Holiday dinner. We had a fantastic time and a wonderful meal at the Carriage Club on Saturday. I am 14 weeks pregnant, though you can't really tell in the dress. (And I chose not to pose with a cheesy sign at the party) We sat with our friends and Kyle and Jessica who are also expecting --their 4th!!!-- just a few weeks before us. (Kyle - I know you are an avid read so I thought I would give you a little shout out) It was fun talking about family life with these two and getting excited about what we are in store for!

13 weeks and counting

So I have quickly begun to discover that there are things that happen to your body during pregnancy that I had NO idea were a part of pregnancy. Sure - the nausea, the fatigue, sore boobs - I expected those, but the other "stuff" - no idea. Not sure how I missed out on all these things watching several of my girlfriends go through pregnancy - but somehow I did. Here are just a few of the "extras" that I have discovered come with growing a baby from scratch: (**Please note, in NO way am I complaining - just a little surprised at a few of the "bonuses")

breathlessness

That's right, this was one of the first things that I noticed. I get out of breath so easy. I got out of breath yesterday doing yoga! Who gets light headed doing yoga? This preggo! I get out of breath walking to my car in the parking lot. I am always having to make sure I stand up slowly, take frequent breaths when talking, or sit after standing for awhile=) Who would have guessed? It has definitely slowed down my running. I feel like I need to wear a big sign that says: PREGNANT! Not just slow and out of breath!

burping

Yep. I was raised that burping was a very rude, "un-lady-like" thing to do. I now burp all the time. In the shower, while teaching, running, eating, talking on the phone - even sleeping. I pretty much sound like a jr high boy - I am sure I could burp the whole alphabet if I wanted to. Gross I know.

body growth

Yeah I knew it would happen but it might be the hardest thing I am dealing with. (And FYI - I am being completely vulnerable right now - so no judging please) I guess since I am fit and healthy, I thought/hoped I would just look like I swallowed a basketball - that the only thing that would grow, other than my boobs would be my stomach. Not so much. I am gaining weight in other parts of my body. I am constantly hungry - its like I can't stop eating. And its okay - at least that is what I am training my mind to believe. I am surrendering my body for another's growth & development. It is a very weird feeling to be gaining weight and have to be okay with that. Maybe it will be easier when I am past the "is she chubby or pregnant stage".

brain power (or lack-there-of)

I had no idea fetal brain drain began this early - I thought that wouldn't happen until much later. Oh no. I forget LOTS of things. Meetings, lunches, what I was thinking/doing. I put the kitchen spray bottle away in the bathtub. I put the peanut butter in the refrigerator. Things on my grocery list. Random things. Oh well - I just roll with it=) And the ADD-ish thoughts I experience while running I now realize that I experience when I get up to pee in the middle of the night. As random as those thoughts are (And yes - I have battled socialized health care in the middle of the night also) I will have to devote an entire blog just to those thoughts.

hormones

So I haven't had a lot of meltdowns or rage-outs - but it is kind of funny what happens when I do - Its like this whole other being takes control of my body. I will realize that what I am thinking/saying/shouting/crying about is slightly over the top- but it still just comes out. I had a rage out at work when I found out at the last minute that I was supposed to go on a field trip to a farm all day in the rain. ( I was wearing flats and a super cute outfit - not "farm in the freezing rain" attire) I like to be prepared for this type of thing - appropriate clothing/snacks etc. This rage out included yelling, tears, storming out of my classroom, some choice words, etc (NONE in front of children - don't worry. If you work with me and are reading this - I am still sorry you saw that side of me) Last week I was home sick with a fever. I decided to watch My Sister's Keeper. I've read the book - I know what happens. Bad move - I cried the entire movie. Not just the sad parts - happy parts too. The next meltdown involved trying to brine a turkey the night before Thanksgiving. I had cooked all day and was exhausted. I mistakenly saved the whole clean the turkey part for last. There were tears and choice words at my poor husband. My mom and Mat finally sent me to bed and took over (and it all turned out MUCH better than I could have done!)

ALL in ALL - so far so good. I have so much to be thankful for. At 13 weeks I am starting to feel better, still running and some of my dislikes are turning into likes again. I actually like coffee again. Still hate the smell - but am starting to enjoy the taste again. Here is a picture that either makes me look like I am showing a little bit or just enjoyed Thanksgiving too much!

Count Your Blessings...

This thanksgiving holiday I have been overwhelmed with gratitude. I found myself counting my blessings on my run this morning. Confession: It was a distraction strategy up a long hill, but once I reached the top they just kept running through my head. So here's just a few I'd like to share with you...

1. My wonderful husband. He consistently goes above and beyond for me and those around him. (He even put up with my turkey brine melt-down last night. Sent me to bed and took care of the whole mess with my mom:) These hormones - I tell you...)

2. My family - God has blessed me with the amazing parents & in-laws and a fantastic brother. I've had such a great time sitting around, eating, cooking, eating, laughing, eating with them the past few days... only wish the Goods and Marshall could be here...

3. My health. I am strong & healthy. I have legs that work and lungs that breath. I've had a healthy pregnancy thus far and still been able to run.

4. God. Not to give the Sunday School answer - but He is the source of all the blessings in my life. He always fulfills his promises.

5. #10- This little miracle growing inside of me has already changed my life so dramatically. It boggles my mind to know that he/she will be sharing our Thanksgiving feast next year. (PS: #10 is our nickname for the little guy via my father-in-law based on the picture of the onesie in my previous post)

6. Last but not least, my friends. Hands down, I have the very best girlfriends in the entire world. They laugh with me, cry with me, support me, advise me and make me a better "me".

I found this quote yesterday and absolutely fell in love with it. It is my goal to apply this thinking to my every day life - not just Thanksgiving.

"A grateful life is about seeing, thinking, offering, appreciating and living beyond self. This is the spirit behind giving thanks."

-Kristin Armstrong

So happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones. I hope you have a wonderful day counting your blessings. Pics of our holiday to follow=)