The bidding starts at...

I will be accepting bids to find out the sex of our baby. There are only two people in the world that know and my baby momma aint one of em'. The other one of course is the ultra-sound tech. I do beleive in the barter system, so if you have anything you would like to trade let me know. -Short-

Mastectomy Hospital Bill in Congress

A mastectomy is a procedure that removes a woman's breast in order toremove cancerous cells/tissue. If you know anyone who has had a mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Let's give women the chance to recover properly inthe hospital for 2 days after surgery.If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times. There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the "drive-through mastectomy" where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached. Lifetime Television has put this bill ontheir web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed.PLEASE sign the petition by clicking on the web site below:

Petition

Heather Lynn Neumann - Stolt

April 24, 1977 - September 2, 2004

Happy Birthday Sis!

Love you and Miss you Every Day!

18-Week Check Up

The heartbeat is steady at 160 bpm

I should be able to start feeling him/her move with in the next 2-weeks

Weight Gain: 5 pounds

Pregnancy is a lot different than I had expected. I am very suprised at how little you can actually tell that I am pregnant. Prepregnancy, I assumed that I would be showing a lot by now, and have gained much more weight, but in reality, I am right on schedule as far as weight gain. I have not experienced any major cravings. I do however, have a new love for choclate malts, but it is not a craving as I imagined it before. Life does go on if I don't get my malt. I don't send Paul out in the middle of the night for one. I have also been lucky with the symptoms. For the most part, I myself can hardly tell that I am pregnat, let alone anyone else. It is weird all the misconceptions that you have prior to going thru it yourself. So what about you my pregnant/mom readers, Did you have any misconseptions that were answered once you became pregnant? And for you non pregant readers, what do you think about the whole pregnancy thing?

In memory of the events at Virginia Tech, Friday, April 20, has been designated as Nationwide Orange & Maroon Day.

flying during pregnancy

With my trip to California coming up shortly I thought that I would check out the airlines website, for any clauses, since I am currently seated in an Exit Row, I wanted to know if they were going to boot me out.... This is what I found:

It is commonly recommended that women not fly at all during their last six weeks of pregnancy. Northwest Airlines' policy states that pregnant passengers traveling within 30 days of expected delivery must provide a doctor's statement dated within 72 hours of departure indicating the due date and indicating that air travel does not pose a health risk. Women in labor will be denied boarding for safety reasons. (no shit!)
Pregnant women should always consult their obstetricians or midwives before traveling. Traveling during the second trimester of pregnancy is often easier as morning sickness will most likely have subsided, energy levels are up and you are still a comfortable distance from your due date. Here are some additional tips for staying comfortable on your flight:
Reserve an aisle seat so that you can easily access the bathroom and move about the cabin. Getting up and walking regularly will help combat swelling and discomfort.
Bring a copy of your medical records and ask your doctor for a referral in case of an emergency while you are away.
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes and flat shoes. Wear layers if you are prone to body-temperature fluctuations.
Keep your seatbelt low around your hips, not around your abdomen.
Bring a small pillow and place it under your lower back to avoid back strain.
Drink plenty of water-at least one liter for every two hours in flight.

A Walk In The Park

um... i hope this does not happen to me....

BOY or GIRL ???

Okay so obviously, I had to make guesses on some of these, since they do not affect me yet, but just for fun here are the results of the old wives tales boy/girl quiz...btw if I pass on the questions that I have not experienced yet then it gives me a 50/50 result.

You have a 54% chance of having a boy. And you have a 45% chance of having a girl.

And Here's Why...

You are carrying the extra weight out front, so it's a boy.
The hair on your legs is growing faster during pregnancy, so it's a boy.
Boys are carried low. You are going to have a boy.
Sleeping in a bed with your pillow to the south indicates that you will be having a girl.
Your feet are colder than they were before pregnancy. You are having a boy.
You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread. You are having a girl.
Dad-to-be hasn't been gaining weight along with Mom-to-be, so it will be a girl.
The maternal grandmother doesn't have gray hair (dyed or natural), so a girl will be born.
You didn't have morning sickness early in pregnancy, so it will be a boy.
You are looking particularly good during pregnancy. Therefore, it must be a boy, because girls steal their mother's looks.
Your chest development has been quite dramatic during pregnancy. You should expect a girl.
Since the sum of the mother's age at conception and the number of the month of conception is even, it will be a boy.
Your urine is a bright neon yellow color, so you will have a boy.
You have a craving for salty or sour foods, which means that it is a boy.
Your nose hasn't changed during pregnancy, which indicates a girl.
You have been craving fruits, so it is a girl.
Your baby's heart rate is 140 or more beats per minute, so it's a girl.
You must have orange juice every day, so it's a girl.
You are having headaches, so it's a boy.
Your belly looks like a basketball, so it's a boy.
You show them the palm of your hand, so it's a girl.
You use the handle to grab a mug, so it's a boy.

Second Trimester

I am in the second trimester and from what I have heard from many sources that this part of pregnancy is supposed to be a breeze. I guess that I had the breezy part in my first trimester. I am 16 weeks along and ...

• Well, I have made it to that point. The point of pregnancy where you can’t fit into your normal clothes, but the maternity clothes are all too big. I had two pairs of pants that I was waiting to wear; you see they were from last year when I had gained some weight and are now to big on me, well they still don’t fit right. I do not like this stage of pregnancy, for a couple of reasons actually. First of all and most fitting is that I went shopping and have a stack of some cute maternity clothes that are just waiting to be worn.
• Second of all, for the first time having trouble eating, not the usual problems though. When I eat a large meal (large meaning a grilled cheese sandwich, chips and a yogurt) I get a headache, not just a headache, but a migraine. I have had three migraines now since I have been pregnant, and one borderline caught it just in time really bad headache. Having some caffeine was helping when I finished a meal, to prevent the headaches, but recently, not so much. I had a very bad migraine on Saturday, and I have had a headache ever since. It gets worse when I eat. Now, for those that have never had a migraine, you have to know this; it puts you completely out of commission. For example, here is what happened on Saturday:

I woke up, had breakfast, and headed out for a massage. I was great and very relaxing. After my massage, and I had relaxing afternoon which included; visiting with my sister, homework, and baking some desserts for a visit to my brother-in-laws for our Easter celebration. Later that afternoon, I headed out to the in-laws, we ate, I drank two cups of coffee, and my headache was getting worse, come to find out I was drinking decaffeinated coffee. I was then able to get a bit of caffeine from an instant cappuccino mix, but it didn’t help. Paul and I had plans after to go to our friend Eric’s house to watch the UFC fight. On the way we stopped and got a 16oz coffee, this is supposed to be the max amount to have while pregnant. We got to Eric’s and I was already thinking that maybe I should have had Paul just drop me off at home, but I was being stubborn and tough, so I thought. I was not going to let this “headache” ruin my night. Eric’s girlfriend Anna, offered to give me a neck and shoulder massage, so of course I agreed. It helped and felt good, but once she stopped, the pain felt as though it intensified by 10. At this point I gave in and asked Paul to take me home. I couldn’t keep my eyes open on the drive. The lights were making me sick. Once arriving at home, I got in the shower (I have discovered that if I can’t take pain pills, then hot showers seem to help.) The shower was taken by lamp light, I could not stand to have the lights on in the bathroom, so I had Paul plug in a lamp. Mid shower, just when I thought that I might be able to have some relief from the headache, I began to get sick from the pain, without much warning, I was spilling, lucky I was in the bathroom already. After that, I got dressed, and headed off to bed, with ice packs around my head, eventually I was able to fall asleep...

Ya da Ya da Ya da, so now I am experimenting with my eating habits and caffiene intake, to see if I can master this. I hope that it does not last the remainder of the pregnancy.

• Something interesting about being pregnant, you can tell time frames by how many weeks pregnant you are. For example I was talking to my friend Jenni yesterday, and I realized that I have not seen her since I was about 8 weeks, this means that it has been almost two months, since our last visit. Some of my other friends, it has been just as long as well. I can't believe how the time goes by. I also can't believe how I am keeping track of time now, by weeks, not days or months!

I want to thank you

You, Paulie. I want to thank you for being so GREAT. You have been so wonderful lately. You take care of me even when you are not feeling well yourself. You give into my laziness, and I know that it is frustrating for you at times you still pull thru and amaze me on a daily basis. You are focused. You are dedicated. You are thoughtful. You are caring. Thank you for enduring my malt cravings and making me homemade chocolate malts. Thank you for picking up after me when I fall asleep by 9 pm. Thank you for being so strong. All that you do does not go unnoticed.

I love you!
Colie

It’s official, we sold the Grand Am. Now here’s hoping for the sale of the condo.

check up

• we went for our 14 week check up yesterday. we heard the heartbeat for the first time. (160 bpm) this was very exciting!



• doc told me that by my next appointment, he expects me to have gained some weight... i have not gained any yet... i have slightly grown, just enough to make many of my pants too tight, but no extra lb's when i step on the scale...i eat a lot...



• weird fact: baby g should weigh about the same as four quarters

Retraction...

... I have changed my mind. I don't see any of the extra profit my company makes. The owner of the company I work at just got a new 60'' flat-screen plasma t.v. though. - Short-

Is that your best price?

... that's what I here on almost a daily basis. I'm sick of hearing it. The same people that ask that question are the same people that bitch about the economy and blame it on the president {and no its not his fault, ever heard of the economic cycle?}. People don't realize what a little extra profit can do for a small business. It can be passed down to the employee so that he/she can batter raise their family. It can lower the medical expenses the employee pays through the company. It helps the company offer better services to its customers. When their is more money in my pocket I spend more money, which boosts the economy.
The irony is that the people with the most money are the ones that try to beat us up the most. The middle or lower class people are typically the easiest to deal with and they are the ones with less expendable income. Most people don't realize what little profit margin small business' work on. For example the company I work for sells fireplace and bbq products. Through one of our suppliers we can buy washers and dryers and could sell them at the same prices as stores like abc warehouse, best buy and sears. These companies are buying thousands of washers and driers a year. Imagine what their cost is compared to ours.
Don't get me wrong you have to be a educated consumer, but any good company knows its competition and will be priced fairly. So remember this the next time you are nickel and diming a salesman. When you spend less you will get exactly what you pay for.The less you spend your money the worse the economy will get. -Short-

i just had to share this...

This is for Jeremy

What Public Restrooms are like for Women When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place.Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied. Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall.You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter. The dispenser for the modern "seat covers" (invented by someone's mom,no doubt) is handy, but empty.You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there were one, but there isn't - - so you carefully, but quickly, drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume "The Stance." In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake.You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance." To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the EMPTY toilet paper dispenser.In your mind, you can hear your mom's voice saying, "Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!" Your thighs shake more.You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It is still smaller than your thumbnail.Someone pushes open your stall door because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topples backward against the tank of the toilet."OCCUPIED!" you scream, as you reach for the door dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly on the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course.You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try.You know your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain, her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, "You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get."By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose that somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too.At that point, you give up. You are soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat. You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out conspicuously to the sinks.Now, you can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting.You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe.(Where was that when you NEEDED it??) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it into the woman's hand and tell her warmly, "Here, you just might need this." As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks,"What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?"This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public restroom(REST??? - You've got to be kidding!!).It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked question about why women go to the restroom in pairs.It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse and hand you Kleenex under the door.

what's new?

As I sit here wanting to post some kind of an update, I am drawing a blank. Life has been pretty simple lately. I started school a couple of weeks ago. My class seems difficult, it has a lot of IT infromation, and it would be fair to say that I am not "it" savvy, oh well five more weeks and I will be done. Now the question is when, what, and how many classes I want to take in between now and August.

As far as the pregnancy is going, I feel fine. really. I have been having some sleep issues, I am either falling asleep at 6:45pm and sleeping thru the night, or going to bed and tossing and turning thru the night. I have been lucky not to experience much morning sickness. Honestly, I only was sick one morning at work, and I can only assume that it was due to the fact that I was runnning late, and did not eat before going into work. I will admit to being a tad bit moody, mostly just more sensitive and emotional. I am just about 12 weeks along, and looking forward to my next appointment when we will be able to hear the babies heartbeat for the first time; we were able to see it "flashing" on the ultrasound at six weeks, but hearing it will be very exciting.

As for my other "kid" Louie has been doing great. I don't know if he can tell that I am pregnant, or what but he has been very clingy, and protective of me. It is very strange. He is very anti Paul, he will start barking, and biting at Pauls feet if I get close to him, heaven forbid if Paul and I attempt to kiss in front of him. He still amazes us all of the time. Louie and I went to the Bark Park with Jenni and Bandit yesterday. It was funny how they stuck together and protected eachother. Dogs can be so smart!

Later.

issues

i have been trying to post from home, but having issues signing in. i will try again. no time to slack and post at work right now.

Suprise...

Life is full of surprises. Some are good some are bad. Last year Paul and I had mostly bad surprises; we encountered a few car accidents, illnesses, sales fell thru on both the car and the condo. Needless to say last year, just was not our year. Things have turned around this year. We are feeling better, we have a great real-estate agent, and the best surprise yet this year is that Paul and I are expecting. Yes, it is true I am pregnant. I am currently 10 weeks along, and expecting to deliver on September 26th. I feel great. Everyone is doing well. Louie is looking forward to being a big brother! I have to admit that I was a bit freaked out at first, but am now very much excited and looking forward to the new addition in our family. It does change everything, but for us it has changed so much for the better. It has made us stronger as a couple; we have a better understanding for each other. Life is Great! Aside from the typical questions, of boy or girl, which by the way we will find out upon delivery, and what, are you going to name it? Which again, we will decide upon delivery. I have already stated when the baby is due; so there is no need to ask that again. There is one last question that I have already encountered numerous times; the question of “what about school?” I will not give up on school. It will take me a bit longer to finish the ten classes that I have left to complete my degree, but I assure you I will complete them. So stop worrying about it!

Paul and I are very thrilled to be able to have to opportunity to be parents. Not everyone is able to have such a great life experience. We are also excited to be able to share our joy with all of you!

Stay tuned for updates...

6 week ultrasound baby = 3mm, smaller than a grain of rice