Seventh Month - March

Found here

Today’s Exploit:

After my first anxiety attack I started using Cupcake’s hypnotism cd’s that she gave me. It’s a self hypnotism that allows one to go to a happy place and essentially tune out the pain/discomfort.

One of the sessions focused on taking something that causes fear and picturing that process going smoothly and without pain or fear. I used this to focus on my fear of needles. I listened to the session and focused on reducing the fear of getting a shot/IV for a week. After that I’d cycle through three or four sessions every few days. 

I would practice this at night, and I’d practice getting to my happy place quickly and with distractions after going to the gym. Some of the women in my class would make fun of me for taking a nap right after working out, but what do they know?

Thankfully I started when I did because this is the time for the glucose test. First needle stick since the terrifying first doctor visit. 

It actually went quite smoothly. 

I went to my happy place while I waited for the sugar sludge to do it’s job and then when they called me in for the blood draw. 

No shakeys, no hyperventilating and the nurse didn’t ask me if I was going to pass out.

I call it a win.

Now I’m done’ with needles, right?

Sixth Month - February

Who knew one month could last 13 months?

Today’s Exploit:

I decided that having regular panic attacks is not beneficial to me or Monkey. So I did lots and lots of research. I looked up midwives and and birth coaches and doulas and birth centers.

Most of what I found was very religious. Which is not something I’m interested in being involved in a pregnancy/birth. 

I interviewed a couple doulas and a couple midwives. Most of them had so much incense or smelly oils that I wanted to turn around as soon as I stepped into their lairs. I found one that I could stand and put it on a back burner thinking I’d talk to the doctor and ask her opinion.

First I told the doctor about my needle-phobia and explained that I was having panic attacks and looking into maybe using a midwife. Her response was to vehemently lecture me on the fact that my body is now a not entirely mine and that if a c-section is necessary so-be-it. She essentially told me that I’m being selfish for having anxiety and wanting to find a way to alleviate it.

She definitely ensured that I leave her practice and run to the midwife.

Fifth Month - January

 People that don’t know me are starting to notice my belly

 Today’s Exploit:

I may or may not have had a panic attack at work. I realized that the first thing that will happen at the hospital after check in is an IV.

I may have mentioned before how I hate needles? I really hate them. I get shaky and verge on hyperventilation, and can't think straight.

So I started looking in to my options. Will the doctors pass on the IV if I sign a waiver? Birthing centers? Midwife at home? I did lots of research on each option.

I also finally realized that this is happening whether I feel like it is or not. So I started reading pregnancy/birth/baby materials. Found two books on pregnancy and one on fitness (to make sure I’m not overdoing anything). I also looked up good books on labor and coping methods, and the first months with baby.

Fourth Month - December

The language of a society changes slowly but steadily with the result that an educated person will not be able to read or understand words in his language written 500 years ago.

Today’s Exploit:

Thanksmas was crazy. We did ugly sweaters this year, instead of mustaches and google eyes for the family picture. Honey was promoted back to driller, finally, and naturally they changed his schedule so that he missed all the fun/crazy.  

Baby Arlo decided that I am the favorite and took naps and snuggled with me only. Evidently she liked being kicked by her cousin while sleeping. 

We tried to get some good pictures of Baby at the body-scan sonogram, but it’s stubborn like Daddy and would only show arms and legs. I had to schedule another session because they needed brain pictures. 

Also, YaYa decided that she did actually want to know if Baby is a boy or girl. But I said no one gets to know since I don't want to, wahahahahah!

Family crazy is tiring, makes you need pre-bed naps. 

Third Month - November

Between 1900 and 1920, Tug of War was an Olympic event. Found Here 

Today’s Exploit:

Slight panicking at the fact that I have to tell everyone NOW. Crap. I wanted to wait at least 3 more months. 

I had planned on waiting until after the next appointment to tell anyone, so we would hopefully have some good pictures of the baby. However, the plan to have Klay be the one to tell everyone and the timing of Thanksmas put a rush on things. It all turned out okay, but I was a bit of a wreck leading up to our Skype date. 

This is what Klay read to everyone:

A Family Story

 

I, Klay, am going to be a big brother.

 Baby Kerry is due 3 May 2017.

Kevin (otherwise known as Dad or Honey) hopes the baby will wait until 12 May, so that they can share a birthday.

  

Chukie Bug thinks that this is a joke, and that Dad (Honey) should go play with him.

Stelly Belly is so excited she can’t contain herself; although she might not know just what she is excited about.

Baby is healthy and ornery and about the size of a turnip this week.

 Mikah (Mama) has a big surprise for when you visit.

  

You are invited to attend the official sonogram

appointment on 15 December at 3:00pm.

A Square A Day

Setting: A while ago we took Klay to the Texas Safari. A drive through zoo with many exotic animals. They give visitors bags of feed to attract the animals, and then send them on their merry way to see all there is to see. Toward the end of our day we were passing all the large birds, and an ostrich was in the road going from car to car begging for foods. When it came to ours it stuck its head an neck through my window, and when I didn’t have any food to offer it tried Klay’s window. He shrieked and ran to the other side of the truck…

“That ostrich almost ate my face off!”

Today’s Exploit:

I think I mentioned that I am trying to make a quilt from pieces that my second mom gave me a while ago. I finally dragged it out and started working on it again. I have finished 2 squares and have 15 left. 

So I have a goal: to complete 1 square each day for the next 2 weeks. Then I should be DONE with the first stage of this quilt. 

The next stage will be deciding how to put the pieces together. Should it just be the girlies? Or should it have spacers? If so what colors should the spacers be? How big is this crazy thing going to be? How fancy should I make it? 

Never ending questions.

In the mean time, I am focusing on getting the squares done. A square a day. 

Whew. 

... A POOL!

I did 42 kipping pull-ups today.

Hands hurt now.

Today’s Exploit:

My parents came to visit this spring. They have really awesome luck when they come down, in that it always rains. They came down for Thanksmas one year and it had been beautiful and 70-75 degrees for the week before they arrived. It was rainy, sleety, windy and nasty the whole time they were here.

This time was the same. We got gallons and gallons of rain. I think we saw sunshine for 23.6 minutes the whole week. And that time was so humid it hurt.

Anyway, while they were here we took my dad to watch Klay be a Little Beast at my gym while Cupcake and I danced around and did choreographed kickboxing, or something. On the way to the gym we saw a skeleton of a house. No walls, no roof, just framing. 

My dad tried to make a comment on it, but was interrupted in a most hilarious way by Klay.

Dad: That house doesn’t have…

Klay: …A POOL!

It is now one of my favorite quotes of all time and I think of it every time I drive by that house, which is pretty darn often.

Frio Weekend

Q: What did one wall say to the other wall? 

A: I'll meet you at the corner. 

Today’s Exploit:

We went to the Frio River last weekend. It was lovely and chaotic.

We stayed in a house with 12.2 people. 7 Adults (They claim), 1 Almost Adult, 5 Kids and 1 newborn (hence the .2). Plus two crazy dogs that thought 5 kids was AMAZING.

The weekend was a waterlogged adventure of too much alcohol, too much food and manic kids on a Tarzan swing. 

Friday night was beer pong and lots of drunken hugs and “I love you”s. Letting kids stay up too late and eating too many cookies.

Saturday was enough food to feed 87, an afternoon at the Frio itself and a bazillion tubers. 

Saturday evening was spent at the creek by the house with kids on the Tarzan swing. I went to the pool with them to make sure no one drowned. H. went with me and a couple others came for a while. I managed to be in the water when one of the kiddies let go at the wrong time and got a knee stuck between a rock and a pretty big root, shrieking his head off making people think he severed his leg rather than being stuck. Later on, when all the adults deserted me, another kiddie decided not to let go at all and smacked into the tree with the back of his head.

But overall it was a good weekend and everyone had fun and no one got seriously hurt.

Supposedly we’re supposed to go on a cruise next year…

Buddies

Summer fun

Changing a Toilet Seat

I painted my first bedroom last week. It went from pink and black to blue. I think Klay will prefer the blue. 

In related news. I have pale blue spots in my hair, and my toes are dark blue. And edging corners between dark and light colors is hard. 

Today’s Exploit:

When I go to work I leave a list of things I would like H. to do while I’m gone. 

Usually it’s not long and it’s things we’ve talked about changing or updating or something I can’t/won’t do that needs done.

The list includes:

-Mow (Because it’s hot out there and I don’t like the sun)

-Put together the table on the porch (I had to take it apart to fit in Starla for the move, also I ended up doing this one)

-Have Klay pick a color for the bedroom

-Change the upstairs toilet seat

That last one? That was because all 3 toilet seats were plastic and a half inch too small for the toilet bowl. And I think that’s not fun at all.

I got the seats, because I’m picky and H. didn’t want to get the wrong one. I changed out the two downstairs ones because I see them a lot. And I use the one in the bedroom.

This particular item was on the list for 5 times, that’s 5 work cycles or 10 weeks, before it was finally completed. 

Sometimes it was the only thing on the list.

But it is finished now, and I can heave a sigh of relief. And I might have to throw a party to celebrate that it is no longer on my list.

A Water-Fight

This week’s recommended reading:

All Terry Pratchett books are amazing,
but I particularly like the ones about the witches. Book art found here.

Today’s Exploit:

After my big race we left pretty fast, before everyone was back and before awards. So I didn’t get the only award I’ll probably ever get from a race. But I had a water-fight with Eli and Cavan and that was better.

They have some foam water shooter things and a tub to fill them at. So I guarded the tub and they ganged up on me. 

We all raced around the lawn, which is amazing and even I can run around barefoot, and laughed like crazy and screamed when we were shot.  

They also really helped me fight off the post-run stiffness. And forget that my legs were jelly from  running up and down a mountain. (Which I haven’t had the chance to do since the last half-marathon race running up and down the same mountain.) 

We all ended up soaked, which was fine, because they were going boating and I had to take a shower. I had some serious dirt-tan from the dusty trail mixed with sunscreen.

I Won, With Help

This week’s recommended reading:

Reading it right now, Cover image found here.

Today’s Exploit:

I had my race this weekend.

At the start everyone is happy and excited.
And magically lined up in order of our race bib numbers (unintended).
And I stole these pictures from Catherine.

I did a half marathon in the mountains in Washington’s wine country. (Not that it makes much difference to me. I like the orchards, but my Mom would love it here.)

It took me years to finish because I was babying my legs to make sure I didn’t get cramps. Last time I ran here I got really bad cramps in my legs about half way through the race and had to hobble the second half of the race and hop across the finish line.

This time I walked up most of the hills and ran the level areas and declines. It was much nicer.

I had amazing views and many nice people and great volunteers at the aid stations and road crossings. 

And when I came to the end, I was getting some cramps and trying to keep my calves loose so they wouldn’t seize up.

Then Eli and Cavan ran up to meet me and told me I was being slow and to pick up the pace.

Eli ran with me for a second, but Cavan ran with me the last few turns into the finish. 

At the very end, with about 30 feet left he told me he was going to race me to the finish. And I tried, I really did, but my legs didn’t want to work for a sprint. 

At the end is more relief than excitement,
but having a finishing buddy helped.

I ended up getting 68/78 overall, and 1/3 in my age division. So that was pretty exciting.

A Bad Run

My neighbor across the hall got a new puppy. 

I think he is a Lab/Poodle. He is so fluffy and cute and sweet, and I’m really jealous.

I want to steal him.

Today’s Exploit:

I am trying to get in shape for my race next month.

After today’s run I am getting pretty nervous. It was a rough one for sure. 

It took me 40 minutes to go 3.1 miles. 

That is a terrible time. My goal is 28 minutes for that distance.

Yikes. Luckily it only took me 34 minutes to get back, which is not the best, but at least it is an acceptable time for me. 

I really hope that it was a one time thing and that my runs will be getting better shortly, because 13.1 miles at that pace will take forever.

I am still looking forward to the trip and really excited to see my buddies who are no longer little.  And it’s not likely that the race will be worse than the last time I tried it, so it will be a fun trip full of tickles and ice creams. 

Conversation About a Stroller

The fitbit tracking competition has begun. After 1 baseline week we stand:

1 Dad: 92410 steps

2 PJ: 82262 steps

3 Cupcake: 71601 steps

4 Mom: 45091 steps

The real counting starts today!

Today’s Exploit:

The other day I was helping H clean out his house, because he is moving. He doesn’t have much stuff and we spent most of the time trying to get gunk off the floor and walls and (eek) bathrooms. Also, we spent a bit trying to organize the stuff that his brother and sister-in-law had left when they moved out.  

In one closet I found a stroller, some bed supports and two Army uniform skirts. I put these aside so that I could sweep.

Klay was with me at the time and asked what the stroller was.

Klay:  What’s this?

Me:  A stroller.

Klay:  What are you going to do with it?

Me:  Probably give it away or throw it away.

Klay:  Why?

Me:  Because we don’t need it.

Klay:  You should keep it, you might need it tomorrow.

He has been hinting for a while that he wants to be a big brother, and has upped his game.  He has also asked when H and I will get married so that he can have a little brother.  And has told us that he’d be ok with a puppy for a younger brother, for the time being. 

Just to be clear... this is all wishful thinking on his part.