Weird...

So I didn't go to work today.

That's freakin WEIRD!!! I honestly am kinda... freaked out about it. I mean, its VERY cool... and it was DEEPLY wonderful to get to sleep in, but DAYUM!!

I did have a productive day tho... spent a lot of time just resting, but also did some filing that was badly needed, tidied the house some, played with Nate... overall a good day

I ready today on bitchypoo.com (and onefatbitchypoo.com) that Robyn had bariatric surgery today and I am sending LOTS of fast and complication-free healing vibes her way. I hope everything goes PERFECTLY for her, she truly deserves only the best from this. I hate that people think surgery is the "easy" way out for ANY problem... surgery is HUGELY risky and recovery is no treat.

I hope to hell that I don't have to have a c-section at the end of this pregnancy, but if I do I have to believe I'll be ok and will recover fully... but the idea of "elective" cesarian section being easier than a vaginal birth just blows my mind... no freakin way dude!

In any case... I'm sure I'll adjust to the not working thing in a few days... but expect me to be a little jumpy for a while.

;)

I made it!!!

Today is my last day of work for the duration of this pregnancy. I have somthing akin to short-timers syndrome I think... I am SO unmotivated to get ANYTHING done.

I did, however, bring in Krispy Kremes for the department (because if I'm gonna be fat, so is everyone else, damnit!) :D and they seem to appreciate that. I have handed off almost everything that needed to be transitioned either to the new Project Manager, or to others in my department. I am TIRED, so I know its really a good time for me to be doing this.

so... being a stay at home mom is going to be a totally new thing for me for a while... Val is in school so he won't be there most of the day... and Nate has preschool 3 days a week... but what do I do when he's home? I haven't ever had to plan week-day activities with my kids! I am TOTALLY excited about it tho! Any suggestions or ideas are GREATLY appreciated.

Ok... better go check my email again!

24 WEEKS!!!

Well kiddies, we've made it to the very edge of viability for these little guys. Every week from here on out (and I'm determined that there will be at LEAST 12 more) increases the chance of healthy babies exponentially... as does the weight they will be gaining. For the next 4 weeks or so the average gain (per baby) is 1/4 lb. After 28 weeks it can go up to as much as 1/2 lb. per week per baby.

Watch Here for the amazing expanding abdomen!!!

I'm feeling good, sleeping and eating well. Walking as much as I can muster the energy for and resting when I can't. The kids are asking more questions about the belly and I am finding them to be VERY intelligent and understanding of what's going on. My older son said the babies in my belly are like his cousins, not his brother and I said that was a good way to look at it.

These are my last 3 days of work before I go on medical disability leave. I can make it... ;)

Last Week of Work

This is my last week of work for the remainder of the pregnancy. I am being put on disability and instructed to "take it easy" and relax and rest as much as possible.

I think I may take up my knitting again. ;)

But truthfully, I am actually glad for this. I mean... I haven't had a break from working since I graduated from OSU in 1996 and really even before that since I worked my way thru college and had jobs all thru highschool as well. So for the last 16-17 years I have been pretty much consistantly gainfully employed. Not that leaving the workforce temporarily doesn't scare the crap out of me, because it does. Things are gonna change here in the next 3-4 months... and I'm gonna change... I'm not terrified or anything, just a little nervous. Thank HEAVEN for short-term disability insurance.

I'm also kind of excited that I'm going to get a taste of being a stay at home mom for a while. I've never had the opportunity to do that in my kids lives. When Val was born I was a newlywed with a mortgage and we both had to work... when Nate was born Mike was laid off so I had to work... This will be the first time I get to interact with my kids before and after school since their first few months of infancy. I'm basking in the luxury of it all.

Things are constantly in flux at our house too... big changes in the works and I'm fighting the "fight or flight" instinct that tends to take hold in the face of big changes. Everything is good tho... I'm finally looking at getting to change career paths and the potential improvements in our financial situation are wonderful... so its all good.

I need to figure out how to face changes like this more... productively... ya know?

Ok, breakfast time.

Jeeze - look at the SLACKER!!!

Wow... I mean... wow. I certainly don't INTEND to go this long between posts, so once again, I apologize for my marked lack of post updates!

How are things going in this neck of the woods? Why its going very well, thank you!! I will be done working for the duration of the pregnancy starting next Friday, and everything on that front seems to be going very well. My blood pressure is holding steady at 118/58 and I've gained around 27-29 lbs so far (depending on the time of day). Babies are growing and kicking and getting hiccups which is just the coolest feeling in the world!! Doc is very happy with my progress and my gain. He thinks I'll go to 36+ weeks and have nice big babies to show for it.

On the fitness front - HA! What fitness front? Was I kidding myself? Or has it just been that weird of a pregnancy that I've just not been able to get into an exercise routine? The good thing is that I'm still walking. I walk everywhere... try to go every evening and walk at lunch too... but it is better than nothing and I do acknowlege that as much as possible.

I'm eating VERY well thanks to Pioneer Organics delivering produce every other week... and Trader Joes keeps me in healthy convenience foods.

Nuts are my friends these days... as are eggs and lamb-chops... man I can't get enough red-meat. I know this indicates that I'm probably anemic, but I'm always mildly anemic, so I'll probably have to add an iron supplement (Floradix is my favorite) here soon.

I'm ready for the rain to FREAKIN STOP already. Seriously... ENOUGH! Ok... I'm done.

Hope everyone is healthy and happy!

I know I've said it before...

but I do NOT recommend the viral GI bug diet to anyone. It sucks and is SO not worth the effort involved.

Yeah, that's how I've spent the last 3 days... in bed with fever, body aches (to the point that I couldn't sleep from the pain), chills, diareah (well that part I wasn't in bed for, thank God) and all over general malaise... the good thing was... I WASN'T Vomiting too! oh joy.

What is really good about the non-vomiting is that I was able to keep from getting overly dehydrated (went to the doc yesterday to make sure... can be bad for the chilluns ya know!) and I was doing fine, not spilling ketones in my urine and showing good hydration, so hooray for Gatorade.

This started Sunday with what felt (at the time) like a sinus pressure headache... I got in bed and it quickly progressed to the other symptoms. I took some tylenol that night to help myself sleep and keep the fever down... but unfortunately Monday was worse... and Tuesday worse still. Finally, today, I am starting to feel more or less human again. I didn't go back to work tho as I feel no pressing need to "push" myself in that manner.

In all I lost a total of 5.5 lbs of primarily fluid and intestinal contents... hopefully it will come back in the next few days as I am able to eat and eliminate more regularly.

It really sucks being sick... but being pregnant and sick... well that's just icing on the cake, really. ;)

Tired

Today I am tired... I don't know how else to discribe it... I'm just so tired. Emotionally exhausted I think summs it up. Its not been a good week at work. Its been marginal at home (my temper is on edge)...

I have a pain behind my right shoulder blade that grows progressively worse as the day passes... and will NOT go away despite furious rubbing and pounding by my wonderful husband. I have a massage on Saturday and I'm PRAYING she's able to get the kink out.

I put up another batch of pictures... the babies are growing like weeds now.

A is about 1lb2oz and B is about 1lb. I'm all pregnancy now. I have to sleep with the big wrap around pillow at night... reflux burps all night long if I don't take my tumms before I fall asleep. Hair and nails growing like weeds and constant hunger despite a squooshed stomach.

And honestly... I've never been happier to be pregnant. ;)

I'm ready to stop working any time now tho... I had NO idea I'd be so tired so soon! Its like no matter how much I sleep there's always another hour or two I could still use.

Ok... time to go drink another litre of water!

2005

First - thank you Jim's Big Ego for THIS

Second - for me, 2005 really wasn't all that bad.

In January I got pregnant.
In Febuary I found out the baby died.
In March I miscarried.
In April I paddled with Zamboanga and I saw Muhammed Ali at a distance.
In May, with the help of my family, I landscaped my front and back yards and did a lot of hot-yoga.
In June I ran the Drop Top 10k (not a PR, but a good time at 1:10:37)
In July I rode my bike to work 2-3 times a week.
In August Laurie died and I got pregnant again.
In September I found out I'm carrying twins.
In October I applied for Midwifery/Nursing School.
In November I found out one of the babies has a congenital (potentially fatal) heart defect.
In December I got accepted to Nursing School.

There was good and bad and indifferent... there was a lot of blogging and a lot of time off. No major injuries or illnesses afflicted my household.

This month we paid off all of our remaining (non mortgage related) debt... (can you believe it?) It took 3 years, but it was SO worth it in the end. No credit card debt... no car loans (despite the new Mini Cooper S in Chili Red/black that we picked up on Thursday of last week with 12 whole miles on the odo)... no education loans, nothing. When we sell the house we will be truly financially independant, and that... my friends... may be one of my proudest accomplishments this year.

Now... how about my goals for this next year? I do have some of those as well: