Sunday, December 30, 2007

A new TV?

At some point we're going to get a plasma television. Of course, we haven't really found the right time, nor, the extra $5,000. I think it's equally important when you have a plasma television to make sure that it's placed on your wall nicely.

Maybe people get a plasma tv lift to secure their television on the wall or area.

Just last night we were at a friends house and talking about how they should get a new plasma television and place it over the fireplace. We also talked about eyestrain and how the television really shouldn't be that high because it's bad for your eyes.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Did I mention?

That I've found a new office located off of Route 13? I've been looking for a place to hang my hat that has free wi-fi where I can come to do my blogging!

Moe's Southwest Grill offers decent (expensive) burritos, nachos, and quesadillas. I'm not overly impressed by anything that they offer but it's a fast in and out restaurant and they have free drinks, a clean bathroom, and internet!

What more could a girl want?

Not to mention, on one of their television sets they have "The Backyardigans"!!

Traveling?

I think we're probably going to stay put for the holidays this year. Things never got firmed up and I must admit that we were in a bind when it comes to the dog and finding kenneling for her.

Plus, it seems like Margot's dad doesn't want anyone around or in the house.

So we're just going to stay in good ole' Ithaca.

At some point we might do a little excursion to meet up with my cousin in Toronto or even Michigan. We'll probably look into Hotel Reservations over the next few weeks so we an get a good deal.

Last time we were able to find some awesome deals through HotelReservations.com. Plus, they were easy to book and had excellent customer service when we had questions!



This post sponsored by: HotelReservations.com

16 weeks a couple of days!

I must say that I've started enjoying this pregnancy! I mean things have been going great and I love being pregnant and knowing that there is a little guy/gal growing nice and big inside my belly.

I went for my 16 week appointment with the midwives Tuesday and everything was great. It took a while for her to find the heartbeat but it finally showed up after about 5 minutes. I wasn't too worried because I knew that she wasn't looking in the right place.

I love looking down and seeing my big belly. Even though I know it's going to get much bigger I can't wait!

I've felt a few movements down there and last night when I was using the baby doppler I felt homeboy flip around a few times.

I am pretty convinced that it's a boy. For some reason I just feel a surge of testosterone lingering in my blood!

In a few short weeks we'll find out if I'm right!

So happy...

I must say that we've been updating everything our house and we really haven't done many shortcuts or purchased cheap appliances. We figure we're going to live there for a while and would rather only replace things once in a while instead of all the time!

That's why we decided to look at and purchase Kohler sinks for our bathroom!

We have a pedastool sink and really loved the design of the Kohler sink. Not only was it the nicest one at the store but we liked the matching faucets too.

We've been very happy with our selection and despite two moms and a kid that are pretty tough on things... it's done a great job!

It just makes sense...

Years ago Margot used to have a Dodge Dakota truck. Of course, that's when we lived in an apartment and really didn't need a truck. By the time we had moved in a houes she had already sold it and we had purchased another car.

I think we probably should have kept the truck for a little bit longer and invested in a truck rack! That way we could have done all of the work on the house and hauled stuff back and forth.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Look at this poor kid.




She fell today at daycare and got a pretty bad scratch on her chin. Poor kid.

Her perfect smile.

View from the top!





So here is what it looks like when I look down.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

I'm actually pretty excited about...

getting all of the baby clothes and baby furniture out of the basement and setting it up!

We have only set up the diaper changing table because we needed a place to put the blankets and Christmas gifts! Plus, we figure our cat, Murphy, loves sleeping on it and wanted to give her a nice bed for the winter.

Years ago when we looked at baby cribs - we decided to go with the one that was top ranked by the Consumer Reports Magazine.

Little did we know that Graem would not sleep one night in her bed but instead upstairs in our bed.

I think this time we're going to try and set up the crib upstairs and put the baby in it from the start. I can only imagine that will last a total of fifteen minutes and then we'll want to hold the baby or he/she will need to be fed or changed!

Maybe, family bed isn't such a bad idea afterall!?!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

15w2d




Damn, I'm big. Not to mention, my boobs just keep getting bigger too!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Some of my latest freebies!





I must say that I've been doing quite well with the blogging gig and when I think that one place doesn't have any offers one of my favorite websites PayU2Blog.com hooks me up!

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Dear God.




I never realized what a fun time it would be taking pictures! Check these out!

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Almost 15 weeks.

I can't believe I just wrote that!

Time really has gone by pretty quicky the past few weeks and the weeks are adding up.

My next appointment isn't for a few weeks and I go for bloodwork and meet up with one of the midwives for a check up. I think I also get to schedule the "big" ultrasound!

The one where they might be able to see the sex parts and can tell us if I have a boy or girl in there! I'm really excited about that and hope that we can find out before Christmas!

I think we might have found the names we're going to use. For a boy we're leaning towards Finn and for a girl we like Emerson.

That's bound to change though....we still have 5 months!

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

A great Christmas gift?

I'm talking about silver of course!

One thing that never loses it’s value is silver coins! Even when our stocks are floundering you can always look to silver, gold, and precious metals to maintain their value.

Monex Deposit Company offers silver, gold, and other precious metals for delivery or they will make arrangements to have your metals stored privately and securely at a bank or depository.

I didn’t realize this but Monex Deposit Company (MDC) is an industry leader. They sell gold in two forms: coin or ingot. The world demand now exceeds the supply demand for gold - which makes it a pretty smart investment.

What time is it?

I've had my Skagen watch for a few years now and it's seen better days. However, I don't know if I'll ever be able to part with it. Margot gave it to me for Valentine's years ago and it was the nicest and best gift she's ever given to me.

Of course, there are these great Audemars Piguet watches that aren't just classy but functional too!

I have never been a watch person but now that I have one I feel that it's an essential part of my outfit each and every day!

Looking to invest?

With the market so crazy lately we aren't sure what to invest in! Every day I hear Margot cursing at the computer. Yesterday was the first day that I heard her actually happy after uploading our investments and that's because she "made" $1,000.

I'm at the point where I'd love to look into some condos for sale and purchase them as timeshares or rental properties.

My grandfather always did real estate and did pretty good at it too.

Maybe it runs in the family?

Get the hook up!

Just the other day I was talking to my friend, Alex. Alex is an advertising manager and works with an agency that does advertising for airlines. They basically find clients and then represent them and buy space on airlines entertainment channels.

The main problem that he's having though is stirring up business and getting quality business sales leads. His market is really any organization that wants to get the word out to the middle and upper class who might be traveling on the airlines.

Alex should look to a company like MartinWorldwide.net. They offer lead databases and Mailing Lists that will give him nice leads and a headstart to getting some quality customers.

The amount that his company would spend on these demographics would be paid for with one customer signing up with them.

14 weeks today!

WOO WOO! I must say that I'm pretty excited to be this pregnant. Never in a million years did I think it was going to work and I'd actually have a living baby in my womb.

It's been pretty boring (YAH!) over the past few weeks and most of the time I forget I'm pregnant...until I look down at my ever growing belly.

It's so big and it's starting to get hard too. What's funny is that it's actually lopsided at the top! I didn't realize it until I was touching it one day and it felt bigger on one side than the other. Margot realized it the other day too.

I can't wait til I can feel some little flutters and then kicks! Maybe I'll get that for my Christmas gift this year!

Friday, November 30, 2007

I'm big.





Great job with the photos, Grammy!


I'm not sure I realized it before I took these photos how big I was getting!

Damn.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

A little coupon fun!

Well, it's that time of year again and I can't believe we're celebrating another Christmas. Of course, that also means that our dear daughter is going to be a year older too!

So far we've done pretty good with all of the Christmas shopping and last night we started wrapping all of the gifts.

I was able to use some good coupon codes that I had received from couponchief.com to do some of my holiday shopping this year.

In fact, I really like the Target coupons and gap coupons that I'm able to find online.

The great thing about couponchief.com is that the coupons always work and I've never had a problem with expired offers or offers that have been shut down!

Here's what everyone wants for the holiday season:

Mama
ergo carrier for baby
new carseat for baby
new bras - too much fun?!

Mommy
dutch oven
batteries
tool set

Grammy
ipod idog
ipod
leapfrog game
jeep 4x4 big wheels

So Santa, if you're reading this....you know where we live!

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

He/she's HUGE!

Today we went back for our third shot at trying to get baby to cooperate for the nuchal translucency testing. The past few times he's been quite uncooperative.

Here are the great shots!

This one you can see the head to the right and his arm and hand is above his head. He has such cute pudgie cheeks too!





This pic is a good one of his hand in the air and you can see his fingers.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Happy 3rd birthday!

I can't believe our little girl is going to be three on December 28th! Wow.

We're going to do a little party at her daycare and figure we'll make cupcakes or a cake and her friends will love that! Then we figured we'd also do a little party at home with our friends and maybe some of her school friends too.

You never can have enough party, right?

Now, I just have to remember to start looking at cute kids party invitations so that people can mark their calendars!

These boots are made for walkin'...

There's nothing I love more than a pair of sexy boots. I've tried on a pair of them myself and because my calves are so big...the darn things never zip up right!

One outfit that is my absolute favorite is a nice skirt that goes to the knees, some tights, and some boots that go right below the knee.

Just if I had the body to pull it off...I'd do it in a minute.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

The kid!


This was taken at 11 weeks 2 days.

He was squirming like crazy! He/she measured at 44mms and needed to measure at 45mms for the test. So the good news is...we get to go back next Tuesday to redo the test and for another ultrasound!

Yipee!

CHARGE!

Have you had a hard time finding Dodge Charger accessories?

Many people who are looking for car parts have a hard place finding the exact part they are looking for. My Honda is getting up there in age and I know at some point I'm going to have to get some of the parts replaced.

Of course, I'm hoping and praying that the car lasts me another 10 years! I can dream, right?

God knows, another car payment is not something that we really need right now! Especially after paying $5,000 for a new furnance!

A big appointment today!

I'm sitting here in my office and today we have the big almost 12 week ultrasound! It's part of the nuchal testing that they do to test the baby for Down's. I must admit as excited as I am to see the little guy....I'm so nervous that the results won't be good.

I just have to take it one day at a time. At least I have age and the age of a young donor on my side. Plus, there's noone in my family that has any special needs.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Another expense

It seems like lately everything is breaking! Our car needs to go in for a timing belt, oil change, and the brake light. The furnace died a few weeks ago, and just the other day I realized that I need to get a new printer cartridge for the HP printer we have.

I've lucked out and found a place that actually compares prices for printer cartridges: Cartridge Finder!

It's bad enough they cost so much money. But if you can trim a couple of bucks off of the price and have them deliver it to your door --- well, you can't go wrong!

This post sponsored by: Cartridgefinder.com

10w6d!!

I can't believe I'm going to be 11 weeks pregnant. I still feel like all of this is just a dream. I mean it's so surreal. I don't know when I'll actually believe that this is happening and nothing's going to go wrong.

Today I had a bit of a scare because I tried to use the doppler and the little kid was hiding out and wouldn't come forth with his heartbeat!

To say the least --- I freaked out and even got to the point where I had called the midwife and made an appointment to come in so she could check it.

Sure enough, a few minutes later....*swish*swish*swish*.

Bad girl/boy.

So much for...

actually exercising! It seems like we absolutely never have time and when we do it's spent with family or doing household chores.

We actually have some exercise equipment down in the basement and last time I looked it was dusty and serving as a drying rack for a rug.

I'm sure that Margot's New Years Resolution this year is going to be eat healthier, and exercise and who knows she might even start using the equipment or better yet get a membership to the local gym.

Of course, when the kid comes it seems like we both tend to lose weight due to the sleep deprivation and the nursing!

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Have I mentioned?

How much I love my new washing machine?

We decided to go with the top of the line Whirlpool washing machine. Maytag has one that is the exact same thing but we were able to get the best deal at Lowes.

When I wish we would have seen all of the ratings for Maytag Washing Machines! I've also heard many great things about Maytag Dryers too. We looked in consumer reports and that only had old models and models that weren’t in the local stores.

Krillion.com offers a great services to customers everywhere! You can research and see reviews for your favorite appliances. This is perfect considering that when we tried to do this with Consumer Reports online they wanted to charge us an arm and a leg!

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

10 week ultrasound!




Isn't she/he getting so big??

Monday, November 05, 2007

Stretchy muscles.

Well, I've been feeling pregnant lately. At one point I thought I was over the morning, afternoon, and night sickness...however, today after Indian food I was reminded that the little guy does not like ethnic food!

I've thrown up Thai, Mexican, and Indian food now. I'm starting to think that they switched embryos on me!

I've also had some stretching around my lower belly. I know it's exactly where I've been hearing the heart beat on the doppler. Sometimes it feels like someone kicked me in the stomach!

It doesn't hurt...it's just annoying.

OUCH!

I went to the dentist about two weeks ago. It seems like one of my old fillings might need to be replaced but while I'm pregnant they can't do any dental work.

So first line of business when the kid comes is to get my tooth filled again.

I have noticed that the area is sensitive and I've always had sensitive teeth. In fact, I've tried Sensodyne and other toothpastes claiming to help with sensitivity.

However, I never liked how they left my teeth feeling. The flavor was horrible and I never felt like my teeth were clean.

The other day I was able to get a sample tube of Biotene toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

Sensitive toothpaste typically come in mint flavors or no flavor at all.

I was shocked upon trying Biotene that the toothpaste had a nice, fresh, almost citrus flavor. At first I was skeptical because it didn't bubble like the typical toothpastes. But I realized that it was cleaning my teeth.



In fact, after I was done brushing I spit the toothpaste out and I was happy to experience a clean and fresh mouth!

Last time I talked to my dentist I told her how minutes after I brush my teeth I feel like they are distgusting and my breath smells.

Biotene really helped with that. In fact, I really put it to the ultimate test --- I had oatmeal for breakfast!

Even after eating the oatmeal my breath smells good and my teeth feel clean! Biotene doesn't mask tooth problems ... but fixes them!

I'm going to have to get me some of this!

Almost 10 weeks?

I really can't believe that I'm almost 10 weeks pregnant. That, of course, means that I only have 30 more weeks and that I'm 25% through this pregnancy!

We have a lot going on this week. Today I have Sears coming out to give a quote on the furnace. Then tomorrow is our big appointment at the fertility center for an ultrasound and then the IVIG transfusion.

Wednesday Graem is home with me and I have another furnace person coming out for a quote.

Thursday I plan on subbing and Friday we have an appointment with the midwives for our first appointment!

Thinking about going back...

to school, of course!

If thought about getting some continuing education credits just so I can stay up with the latest and greatest management information.

That way when I return to the workforce in the next few years I won't have outdated and old information and styles.

At capella university they make going back for education easy! They offer online and evening classes that work around your schedule!

Specifically, I'd probably have to do my classes at night or on Wednesdays and Fridays when Graem is in school!

That way I could be uninterrupted and able to focus on my education. Capella even overs of a MBA program!

Sick kid.

Graem is sick, again.

I'm actually going to keep her home from school because she keeps coughing and is pretty sluggish.

I have an appointment at 4:00 with the pediatrician. I don't know what they'll do and I'm hoping that I can get some antibiotics but the guy I'm meeting with seems like a prick.

He was the guy who told us a while back that if we kept allowing her to sleep with us she'd be there til she's 18.

Hmm...then again, maybe he's right!

Spotting again.

Okay, this is my true confessional blog and I don't put everything on the other blog that I put here...so here goes the truth!

Saturday morning Margot and I had sex. Of course, this was the first time in about 8 months that we've done a thing! And it was pretty gentle and slow.

Afterwards I went to go pee and there was bright red blood. Shit. So of course, I'm a bit worried. It ended up stopping rather quickly but I still wanted to get it checked out.

So I decided to got the RE's in Syracuse. He did an ultrasound and baby bean was doing fine. He wasn't moving at all but his heartrate was 171 and the cervix was nice and long and the sac was attached good.

No worries. I was told that many times this happens when having sex and it's probably just an irritated cervix.

The good news is...I haven't bled since that morning and I feel fine.

I have a little bit of round ligament stretching from my lower belly muscles but that's about it!

Tomorrow's our big appointment and I'm going to try to drink some cold water to get the little one to move around before the appointment!

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Looking for leads?

When I was in marketing I was constantly looking for leads. Of course, I had an old book full of cold leads and by the time I'd call the people it was quite embarassing because they would tell me that their loved one had passed away or just flat out hang up on me.

Many hotels and airlines are now looking for a targeted group and Travel leads!

MartinWorldwide specializes in providing companies and small businesses with great demographics and leads to start from. They have a complete database which is updated and current.

Before you start marketing -- make sure you know who you are marketing! Don't just dive in feet first because you could end up losing a lot of money that way.

No teach for me.

Well, the teacher left notes and basically said that if it's sunny outside that the kids will be going to the postoffice and if it's rainy the kids will be coming in for music.

The kids were suppose to be in at 1:00pm and since it's 1:25pm I'm guessing that they went to the postoffice.

I guess I'll have to find another day to watch the NutCracker with puppets!

I'm so damn tired.

I really can't explain how tired I get. Except to say that my brain drifts and I can barely keep my eyes open. Tuesday when I worked I was able to take a short nap.

When I'm home with Graem I really try to lay down with her during nap time and sleep about an hour.

Of course, today I'm working and I'll go home immediately and take a nap before Margot and Graem get home.

Sleep has never sounded so good!

This, of course, is on top of me going to bed at 8:30!

I hear in a few weeks I'm suppose to get more energy and get past this sleepy stage.

Do you know a good dealer?

I'm talking about a coin dealer, of course!

One thing that never loses it’s value is silver coins! Even when our stocks are floundering you can always look to silver, gold, and precious metals to maintain their value.

Monex Deposit Company offers silver, gold, and other precious metals for delivery or they will make arrangements to have your metals stored privately and securely at a bank or depository.

I didn’t realize this but Monex Deposit Company (MDC) is an industry leader. They sell gold in two forms: coin or ingot. The world demand now exceeds the supply demand for gold - which makes it a pretty smart investment.

I'm really excited...

for our appointment Tuesday! We'll get an ultrasound before the ivig transfusion and I can't wait to see the kid. I hope he's grown a lot since last week and his heartbeat is still going.

I've tried not to get overly crazy on the home doppler that we're renting. It's still pretty hard to find the heartbeat although I was able to find it a few nights ago for about 30 seconds.

The heart was chugging along and boy was it fast! At first I thought I found it but it was my heartbeat and of course pretty slow.

Then I came across the kids and it was about double the speed of mine!

Monday, October 29, 2007

Bad credit got you down?

Thank God our credit is good. We have a few friends who are down on their luck and unfortunately have tons of debt.

In fact, they are even looking at a bad credit loans because they can't get anything else and they need the money to purchase a new car.

If you're looking for a home loan you might want to check out badcreditoffers.com! They offer loans for people with bad credit and can't seem to get a break.

This post sponsored by: BadCreditOffers.com

Yikes.

My next appointment at the fertility center is Tuesday at 10:00am. I just called and they want me to stay on my meds til then.

I also asked to see if they want me to do the IvIg transfusion and they do. Damn. Last time the price was like $1,400 and insurance doesn't pay for it. HOpefully, the cost per gram of medication hasn't gone up.

This is harsh...especially coming upon the holidays and I haven't been able to sub a whole lot because there haven't been many offers.

Need money for legal stuff?

I've had friends who have wanted to pursue legal action but just haven't had the money. Many times attorney's aren't willing to work out payment plans and want the money up front.

That's why I was shocked to see that there's finally a place that offers legal funding.

AnyLawSuits.com offers an alternative to those who are looking to obtain an attorney but fear they might have to settle because they can't afford to keep the attorney.

All loans given by AnyLawSuits.com are no-recourse. That means that if for some reason you don't win the case... then you don't have to pay back the loan.

It sounds like a win-win situation to me!

This post sponsored by: AnyLawSuits.com

Teeth cleaned!

Today I went in for a teeth cleaning and everything seemed to go fine. As mentioned earlier, I should have done it earlier and it seems like they might want to do x-rays when I'm not pregnant.

I have a filling that looks to be about twenty five years old as my dentist said! That of course will need to be replaced. I thought those were expensive but I was told that they are only $70 - so that's not too bad.

My next appointment is in April and I was told that the their trimester is when teeth start giving pregnant women problems!

Need a job done?

Margot's dad is a plastic surgeon and he's constantly making comments about what we should have done to our bodies. Ugh. To say the least...I've never really thought about having anything cosmetic done because I just don't have the time nor money.

However, when I was younger (5 years old) my parents did decide to have me undergo a procedure that pinned my ears back since they used to stick out like Dumbo. I think it was a great decision and I'm glad I didn't get teased going through school.

Many people who are looking for a plastic surgeon really need to find the perfect fit. They need to make sure the place they are going to has references, pictures, and is a clean place. Most importantly, they need to trust the surgeon that will performing the operation.

MYA has been noted in the Times as offering a good practice and also offering their customers a great service. They are the UK Plastic Surgery source and where people go to get the best work done on their bodies.

Don't trust just anyone when it comes to changing your body. Go to the professionals that take pride in their work.

This post sponsored bY: Mya.co.uk

Teef!

I'm pretty excited to get my teeth cleaned today. I wish I had done it before I got pregnant because I really do doubt that I will be able to get x-rays and I think I might have been due.

I think I'm also going to start getting my cleaning once every 6 months. I mean it doesn't make sense to cut back to once a year...

For pete's sake...we're talking about my teeth here! Maybe it just means that we cut out a few eat outs so that I don't feel guilty about the extra $100!

New furniture?

We've decided that we aren't getting anything new until the kids get older and the animals are gone! All of the furniture that we have now has been peed, barfed, or soiled some other way.

Our rug has red stains from juice and our chair smells like dog.

I think in the future we should really invest in some Bush furniture that lasts!

Bush has been around for years and has a great reputation for enduring over time. Not to mention, it's top quality at really reasonable prices!

Get away?

Maybe before the kid comes Margot and me can do a nice little overnight getaway. Of course I'm not quite sure where Graem would stay and I think she might freak out of she wasn't in the same bed as us!

I remember when all of this turned around....when we went to Las Vegas!

We should have looked at Las Vegas hotels that offered a few bedrooms so that we could have set her up in her own space. Because God knows that her going to bed with us during that trip turned things around and who knows when we'll ever get her out of our bed again!

Almost 9 weeks.

Wow...it seems like just a few days ago I announced I had a positive pregnancy test! Now of course --- I'm almost 9 weeks pregnant. Only 31 weeks left?!?!

Somehow that part doesn't sound all that soon or quick to come.

I've been doing pretty good. I'm happy as a clam to be pregnant and I think that's all that matters. I was pretty good with the barfing and nausea until last night.

Margot mentioned it at the dinner table and sure as sugar as we were watching "Desperate Housewives" I had to make a run for the toilet.

It's interesting though because I'm not throwing up tons of food and it just seems to be the little bit on the top! So the good thing is that I don't have to eat a whole other meal to fill up again!

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Baby got rack!

Oh, how I miss the days that Margot had her bright red Dakota pick up truck! We used to live on Sapsucker Woods and it was such a fun truck to drive. With the exception of it constantly breaking down and being in the shop half of it's life!

I know Margot has wanted another truck for years and with a new baby on the way...I'm not sure that's in our near future!

However, when the kids get older I think she'll probably want to get a new Toyota pick up truck. I like my cars/trucks with all of the trims and I'm sure we'll have to get the truck rack!

BuyAutoTruckAccessories.com is a great website that has tons of goodies for your truck and car. They also have some great prices and it's easy to order!

Big ultrasound tomorrow!

I'm pretty excited about tomorrow's ultrasound because I really think baby bean will be quite a bit bigger. Of course, I'm worried shitless that the kid won't have a heartbeat and I keep hoping and praying that his heart will have developed the four chambers and it will be beating away at a nice, steady pace.

Our appointment is at 3pm tommorrow and then after that we're going to hook up with our friend Jen C. (dada) in Syracuse and Kayla.

I'm hoping we can meet up at Dinosaur BBQ becaues they always have great food. Then after that I'd love to check out the Babies R Us! I don't think it's too early and I want to look at new carseats!

Monday, October 22, 2007

Do you go to trade shows?

Back when I was a corporate mama I used to constantly go to job fairs and trade shows. It was always important to have a nice display because, very honestly, it drew people to your booth and you got more out of the show.

I wish we would have invested in a truss and a nice display because that would have made all of the difference in the world instead of trying to get across the professional aspect with a fold up sign and a bowl of candy!

This post sponsored by: CamelBackDisplays.com

Almost 8 weeks!

It's so hard for me to believe that I'm already 8 weeks pregnant - tomorrow! WOW. I've been so relieved that since the 6 week point everything has gone perfect. Today I've been a little sick but nothing major.

We are going to go for another ultrasound this Friday. We went back and forth and at one point I was going to go by myself since Margot's missing quite a bit of work due to appointments this week...but she really wants to see bean this week and I secretly really wanted her to be there.

I hope bean puts on a good show for us both since we're going to be watching the Friday matinee!

Saturday, October 20, 2007

It only makes sense...

that when you travel you get travel insurance.

I mean we have insurance for everything - home, life, health, and car. We probably overdo it too because we don't want to be in trouble if something bad happens.

The past few times we've traveled we've been lucky and everything has gone fine. However, you never want to think about the one time when things go completely horrible.

At least with travel insurance you'd be covered and wouldn't have to worry too much.

We really need...

some new luggage! The last time we traveled to San Francisco our suit case was busting out and we realized that we might need a bigger family suitcase.

I saw one at TJ Maxx that was perfect, however, it was still a little pricey and I just couldn't justify the cost before making a big trip.

I want a nice Samonsite. I realize it's not going to be cheap but I think it's an investment that could last for decades!

Plus, since we've been traveling quite a bit lately it only makes sense to have a nice set of luggage.

Ready to get out of here!

I think we should head out at least one more time before the baby makes his appearance! It would probably be best if we wait until the second trimester since I've been so exhausted lately.

Graem would love Orlando and I think she's at a great age that she would appreciate the whole princess and Disney thing!

Of course, we'd want to find a nice Orlando vacation home rental to stay at while we're there.

When Grammy gets older...

I'm sure she's going to want to go to the Hannah Montana tour!

In fact, I just saw it on the Disney channel a few minutes ago and it's a pretty cute show. Now Hannah Montana is hitting the road and touring to many of the big cities.

Kids everywhere are sure to rush and and get tickets --- so beat the crowds and check out TicketSolutions.com!

Can you feel the love tonight?

When we were in London Elton John had a concert and I thought it would have been really cool to actually see Elton there!

Of course, now that he's touring I'm pretty interested in buying some Elton John tickets.

I'm going to check out VividSeats.com and see if he's going to be touring anywhere in our area. I think we should probably see him at least once in concert. I mean he is still a rockstar after all these years!

An evening of television!

Okay...I'm not a total tv junkie but I do appreciate a good dose of boob tube. Lately, we've actually been watching television upstairs in our room. So we don't have a whole lot of taped stuff on the DVR.

Tonight we're going to watch a few things that we've taped but I think we might watch some food TV and also some of the fine living channel.

If our options get slim I might run out and get a video!

I love to read...

and I'm pretty sure Grammy has the same passion. She grabs her books, sits down, and pretends to read. It's awesome and I can't wait til she actually reads!

We've been working with her to be able to read smaller words like MOM, GRAEM, and DOG.

Score Learning Centers are known for their great Reading Tutors and how they work with kids ages 4-14.

I'll have to check and see if they have a center in our area because I think Graem would really like to start up!

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Centers

Chicken soup!

Today Margot went grocery shopping with Graem. You have to understand that we are horrible about actually getting our asses out of the house to go grocery shopping. Most of the time when our fridge is empty and there's nothing in our cupboards we just start eating out!

I was impressed when she walked in the house after 2 hours and had many bags of groceries and had spent under $200!

For lunch we had a delicious french dip and tonight we're eating yummy homemade chicken soup!!

Our smart donor...

I'm just starting to realize that we used a really smart donor! He liked math and did really good and of course the fact that he's in med school when he donated is a bonus too!

When the baby gets bigger we want to make sure to provide him/her with all of the educational possibilities available.

We might look into getting Math Tutors through The Score Learning Centers.

They cater to kids 4-14 and have a great reputation in the teaching community.

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Centers

I really miss...

seeing baby bean on the ultrasound. I think this has been the longest that's gone by without me knowing that he's okay.

I mean I know I just have to trust that he's still in there and his heart is beating alright...but you just never know.

I've heard of people that go for their ultrasound only to find a baby that has a heartbeat that's stopped.

I know I've just got to stay positive and realize that maybe this time it's just meant to and we'll actually get to experience a positive birth of a precious baby.

7w4d

Yucky. Okay, I totally feel like shit. I think some of it has to do with my back and the other has to do with the fact that I feel barfy.

I was able to move around a little bit today and even do a little cleaning. I'm sure Margot's pretty thankful for that because God knows she gets so bitchy when I'm out of commission.

Straight out of the womb...

Graem's a pretty smart kid and I'm constantly wondering if the new baby is going to be as smart.

I've been looking into different programs for Graem to be enrolled in and realizing that I've got to start working early to find Innovative Tutor to keep her challenged.

Score Learning Centers are offered just about everywhere and offer only the best.

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Centers

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

7 weeks today!

YAH!!!!

I really never thought I'd be this pregnant so I'm pretty damn happy about that.

Today we went for the ultrasound and baby bean seems to be doing great. He measured right at 6 weeks 4 days. The nurse said that when they're this small the measurements are off but to just ignore it because if she were to take another picture of him then it'd probably be right on.

We were also able to capture his heartbeat too! It was amazing to hear the thumping of his heart and it was going pretty fast at 122 beats per minute. Supposedly, over the next few weeks she said we can expect it to get up to 160bpm!

Our next appointment isn't for a week and a half and I think I might go crazy til then!

Here are some baby pictures:

6w5d - (Went to ER and had an u/s)




7 weeks




A display of the baby's heartbeat

We love mother earth!

When I lived in Texas I had never heard about recycling and the only thing half way ecofriendly that I saw taking place was poor people picking up cans on the side of the road and selling them back for a very small return.

Since moving to New York I have been very aware of the volume of trash we make and in our house we make every effort to compost, recycle paper, plastics, and cans, and conserve energy and natural resources.

We love Ithaca because many of the people who live here have the same mindset and set of priorities as we do.

We also like to support organizations that promote a green earth. I just noticed that at the farmer's market they are using eco friendly products. That of course makes me very happy because everything from the cups to the forks can be composted!

An new online website that has really caught my eye lately is: GreenAndMore.com!

They offer everything including: solar backpacks with lighting, eco friendly furniture, home decor, and some great items that will help you conserve energy.

live greener products

Right now with the beginning of their website they are offering a 10% discount on all orders placed by December 31, 2007.

If you're looking for holiday gifts --- look no further. GreenAndMore has everything on your Christmas and holiday shopping list!

Danger!

I must say that during my one hundred trips to the bathroom I've fallen down the stairs about three times. Lately, I've decided to turn on the hallway light but it's pretty obnoxious and I'm pretty sure that it wakes Margot and Graem up.

I think at some point we should probably install some track lighting that goes right down the stairs.

That way when I come down the stairs I can be guided by a trail of lights right into the bathroom.

Of course, all of this could be solved by going back to my idea of getting a camping potty in the upstairs bedroom.

So mad!

In the next few months we are going to be switching from Verizon. At first we were going to switch over to Sprint because they have some awesome deals when it comes to online and web stuff.

However, Margot's really craving an iphone and that's not offered through Sprint.

So I'm looking into getting an unlocked phone!

I'm not quite sure what there is to it ... but I think that'd be a great Christmas gift if I can figure it out and also get Sprint on board too!

Of course, after all is said and done I'll still have to buy two new phones, a web plan, and activation. Eek!

Friday, October 12, 2007

This little light of mine...

When we moved in our house we had to do a major overhaul of EVERYTHING. Included was the home lighting situation. None of the rooms have lights in the except the downstairs bedrooms and bathroom.

So basically, we had to resort to getting some floor lamps and table lamps.

We don't have much selection out here in Ithaca and so we had to make a trip to the nearest Target and Pier One Imports.

I wish we would have known about the LightingShowPlace.com. They have a great selection and can deliver right to your door!

Doesn't get much easier than that.

Busy mama.

Things have been so busy lately. With all of the doctor's appointments, kids appointments, and now we're making appointments to go see Montessori schools I really have no idea how we were able to do these things when we were both working.

Actually, when looking at it...I was only working for a few months and then decided to stay home with the baby.

Q-Pons for clothes!

Just a few days ago I ended up shopping at Gap and Old Navy for some maternity clothes. I'm at the point where I really need new clothes because mine are old and look like crap --- plus, they don't fit!

I'm blaming this on pregnancy and the need to get a new wardrobe! I was happy to find Gap coupons and Old Navy coupons that allowed me to get free shipping! That was quite the savings considering that I purchased approx. $400 worth of clothing!

My favorite website for coupons these days is Coupon Chief. The coupons on Coupon Chief seem to be update and unexpired. PLus, the codes work! So you don't have to get your hopes up only to find that the code has expired or never existed in the first place!

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Oh man.

Hopefully, all of this drama is coming to an end. Yesterday I started spotting went to RE and little bean was looking good.

Then we walked in the door and I had a huge clot.

So, of course, with our history we couldn't believe it was happening again.

This morning we went for an ultrasound and here's what we found:



I really can't believe that the little guy made it through all of the bleeding and cramping but it looks like we have a fighter on our hands.

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Baby pictures!

So we were finally able to scan in the pictures from our ultrasounds.

Here's the gestational sac at 5 weeks 1 day.



Here are the newest shots today (6 weeks) and we also saw the heartbeat. The baby is the blob in the bubble.





Does he/she have my eyes?

6 weeks today!

We just got back from our six week ultrasound and I'm so relieved to say "WE HAVE A HEARTBEAT!!"

I really can't believe that all of this is actually coming together and we might actually have a baby in the end?!

Of course, I realize I've still got to take one day at a time.

We were told going into the ultrasound that they just wanted to see the sac get bigger. So in the back of my mind I really wanted to see a heartbeat I knew that if we didn't...it's still really early.

The nurse put the wand in and zoomed in. We saw the sac and then the fetal pole and yolk sac. Then we saw the flicker at the top of the blob.

It was great!

Of course, I also had to pee on a stick today to see how dark it was.

For your viewing pleasure:


Compared to past pee sticks:


You will notice the progression of darkness among sticks. Today's stick showed that the test line was darker than the control line!

Sunday, October 07, 2007

We need another bathroom!

It's been so nice at the hotel to walk 10 steps and get to a bathroom.

What a rude awakening it's going to be to have to go back home and walk down a flight of stairs just to make one of 100 trips to the bathroom each night.

I really think we should consider building another bathroom upstairs. At least a half bathroom with a toilet and a sink!

Of course, there are so many cool bath faucets out there that I'm sure I'd have a hard time picking the perfect one!

Faucet.com offers a great website with tons of options and even a guide to purchasing the faucet that is right for you.

This post sponsored by: Faucet.com

5w5d pregnant!

We're still in San Francisco and taking the red-eye back to New York this evening.

I've been doing pretty good. No spotting since the early,early days, and I've been pretty sick over the past few days.

I wake up at around 3am and feel like I'm about to barf. Luckily, I just sit up in bed for a few minutes and don't think about it. Then before too long I end up going back to bed because I'm so exhausted.

Yesterday, we walked TONS and I felt like shit. We ended up hanging out in the hotel and just ordering Chinese food. Lame? Yes.

Monday, October 01, 2007

My little princess!

Grammy is really pretty feminine. Despite both of us being a little on the butchy side and not knowing much about make up or fingernail polish she's been able to pick up on girly girl stuff from other women and people at school.

I think I'm going to start getting her costume jewelry because the jewelry that I got her at Target is worn almost constantly and it's pretty cheap. So I can't imagine that it's going to be around for much longer!

Costume jewelry has all of the dazzle and it's made a lot better than the kid's jewelry that you can find at the grocery store or Target!

Woo woo.

Well, I can't believe I actually have today off and can just hang out and get all of that much needed work done. It's been forever since I've actually had a few minutes to hang out on the commputer without having a little one crawling all over me.

I must have jinxed myself!

Sunday, September 30, 2007

More space.

Our basement is become a major craphole. I've decided that we need to get closet cabinet in order to organize things down there.

We have tools on the floor, baby stuff everywhere, and even a few mice that hang out and eat the cat food.

I figure if we're able to clean up a bit and get things off the ground maybe the mice won't have a place to hang out!

CarGuyGarage.com offers some great cabinets at really great prices. Plus, their selection is awesome.

This post sponsored by: CarGuyGarage.com

I must admit...

that I'm really scared about this pregnancy. I'm scared that at some point I'm going to get a cramp and it's going to all be over.

This time 5 weeks 6 days was when I first started having cramps and bleeding. Of course, I know I shouldn't compare...but I do anyway.

Since I changed to the Provera I haven't had one drop of blood or any spotting. I really think that the expired Progesterone was irritating my cervix and causing a little bit of spotting. Or I have even read that when it sits around that it turns a pale brown or grey color.

Either way...I know I should just sit back and enjoy.

I just need to see a heartbeat and a healthy baby in the next few ultrasounds...then I can take a breath and actually enjoy being pregnant.

My little princess!

A few months ago I took some great pictures of Grammy dressed up in costume jewelry that I purchased at Target.

Of course, it had Barbie and other princesses on it! She absolutely loved the set and of course, I also had to try on the flashing earrings and necklace too!

You're never too old to dress up like a princess, right?

Of course, Grammy had to run for the camera and get a shot of Mama dressed up in kids princess jewelry!

Kind of bummed...

Our best friends, L&L, are looking for a new house and I must admit that I'm pretty bummed that they won't be right down the street. Proximity has allowed us to have dinner in the middle of the week and hang out on most weekends.

Right now they're getting a taste of the real estate market. Fortunate, for us --- it looks horrible in our area! Which of course, means that they aren't moving any time soon.

However, I do hope at some point they find the perfect house and can feel good about their new purchase.

On the go?

I remember when I worked with seniors...I'd try to take them out as much as possible. Sometimes it could take us an hour to load up the bus just to go on a 30 minute drive around town!

Of course, we had some people on oxygen and I was always scared that their oxygen tanks would run out on me!

Now they have these great portable oxygen concentrator units that are easy to use and light enough to be portable!

This would make traveling a lot easier. Not to mention, it's probably more reliable than the tanks!

Friday, September 28, 2007

Get the grade?

We have thought about moving for the past few years. With a new baby on the way it's pretty evident that the move will happen sooner than later because we really need more space.

Of course when looking for a new home we really want to make sure to find a good inspector. Home inspectors have to pass a home inspection exam in order to become licensed.

Compucram.com offers a great guide so that you are able to pass the tests with flying colors. The prep software is easy to use and is sure to make the difference.



This post sponsored by: Compucram.com

So exhausted.

Today I was so tired I could barely stay awake while subbing. The kids were pretty darn bad and I'm so glad that I'm home, sitting on the couch, and ready to hop in the tub.

Of course, this weekend all I want to do is just hang out with the fam and catch up on good television.

Oh yeah...we have to clean the house too!

Free Raleigh, NC Getaway’

A few years ago we went to Margot's Uncle and Aunt's in Raleigh, North Caroline. We had such a great time not only being with family but also it was fun to be in a different place and the south at that!

Now there's a website offering a Free Raleigh Getaway! You bet I've already signed up because I would love to go back to Raleigh. There was so much to do. The food was amazing and the shopping was great too!

Here's what is included in the free getaway:
-One night accommodations for two at the Courtyard by Marriott Raleigh Crabtree Valley
-$25 gift certificate to Bloomsbury Bistro
-Free VIP admission for two to Rum Runners
-2 tickets to the North Carolina Theatre
-2 tickets to the N.C. Museum of Art’s Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism
-2 tickets to Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences

Grammy would absolutely love the Dinosaurs exhibits at the Museum of Natural Sciences!

Of course, since we're typically broke I'm sure we'd have to win the getaway in order to travel!

Heck, I hope we win soon because with a new baby around I can't imagine us going very far in the next few years.

If you're looking for a fall getaway look no further!

Of course, I've always loved music and I'd be a fan of the N.C. Symphony's Classical Series: Branford Marsalis Quartet. If you've never heard a southern quartet -- boy, are you missing out!

Thursday, September 27, 2007

3rd beta and 4 weeks 2 days pregnant!

Well, this morning we ended up taking Margot to work, going grocery shopping and going to the lab to get my blood drawn. The lady liked to dig the hell out of my arm trying to get a vein. I had to tell her to stop and move on!

I got the news from the fertility center and beta had gone up to 97! I'm really happy about that and it's going up just like it should.

Here's the story:

10dp3dt - 21
11dp3dt - 38
13dp3dt - 97

WOO WOO. Of course, now I just have to wait til my October 10th ultrasound to see a heartbeat and I'll feel much better about the whole thing.

As far as symptoms go....I'm exhausted. That's it. Last night I was in bed by 9:00 and my eyes constantly feel sleepy.

I really should start taking a nap with Grammy. However, she always wants to sleep on the couch and there's not enough room for my big ass too.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Is this creepy?

They're getting darker!

For those of you that understand and appreciate...I'd love to show you my piss drenched pee sticks from the past few days!!



It's nice to see those lines getting darker!

This picture is the difference between Sunday's pee stick and this morning's pee stick!




Another look at today's glowing stick!!


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