My Favorite TV Shows

One of the things I was excited about when I found out i'd be having a baby in the fall was all the new TV shows I'd get to watch while being up and feeding the baby. Obviously he isn't here yet, but since all the new shows have started, I figured i'd share with you my favorites. (I'll warn you now, i'm not a reality TV fan. I much prefer sitcoms, and the occasional drama.)

-How I Met Your Mother. 

  This one has been around for a while, but I still love it. I find it good for a laugh, and i'm excited that one of the characters (Lily) is pregnant. I always prefer shows I can relate to, and when this one first came out, I felt like Dan and I were very similar to Lily & Marshall. We had a group of friends that we'd go to the bar with and just hang, which is pretty much what goes on on the show. We were also the only serious couple, like Lily & Marshall, and it seemed like our engagement and wedding corresponded to theirs. And now they're pregnant, so I can relate to them again!

-Big Bang Theory

  I've always loved this one. I like to tease my husband and say that he's like the geeky science guys on the show, because he has a Master's degree in math. (In reality, he really isn't like them...I don't think anyone could be quite as bad the guys on this show!) I also love that they've added more female characters to the show (also scientists) who are friendly with the character Penny. Penny is the polar opposite of the rest of the main characters. She's an aspiring actress who works as a waitress, while everyone else is a scientist of some sort. I find it light and funny, perfect for vegging out after a long day. 

-Two Broke Girls

   I wasn't sure how i'd feel about this one, but so far it seems pretty good. The concept (a riches-to-rags-girl who has to become a waitress and move in with one of the other waitresses) seemed a little stale. But the writing is good, and I think it might get even better as the season goes on. 

-The Middle & Modern Family

   I think both of these ABC Wednesday night shows are amazing. I laugh the entire time I watch both of them, and love the dysfunctional nature of the families in both shows. Nothing makes you feel good about yourself like watching the trials and tribulations of fictional characters. Again, the writing is amazing, and the acting is phenomenal. 

-Revenge

   I thought this show looked dark and scary when I saw the previews, and I never watch scary stuff. But it came on right after Modern Family last week, and I got hooked immediately. It's quickly becoming an addiction of mine. It's a mystery, and kind of leaves you hanging, and wondering what's going to happen, and what happened in the past. You definitely need to watch it from the beginning or you'll be completely confused, but I think that it is worth it, and is by far my favorite new show this season. (The premise is that the main character, Emily, moves to a beach house to seek revenge on the people who ruined her father's life when she was a little girl.) 

Lastly, i'll be watching the baseball playoffs and World Series. We're Yankees fans in my house, but even if they weren't playing, i'd watch, because I actually enjoy watching baseball games. I am not really a sports person at all. Watching football gives me a headache because it happens so fast and I can never tell what's going on. Basketball and hockey bore me. But baseball? I love it. And the best part is, you can almost always find a baseball game on in the middle of the night during play-off season, because they replay them. Perfect for those late-night feedings!

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A Letter to Stephanie

Dear Stephanie,
          You are 19 months old, and in less than two weeks you will become a big sister. Before that happens, I wanted to write down how much you mean to me, and how very, very much I love you.
          You were such an awaited and beloved miracle, before you were even conceived. Daddy and I hoped and prayed for you, and when we finally found out that you were growing in my belly, we were overjoyed. I spent nine months dreaming of you, and imagining what you would look like and the kind of person you would be. However, nothing in my wildest imaginings could have prepared me for the smart, beautiful, amazing little girl that you turned out to be.
          When they first handed you to me, I found out what love really feels like. I was filled with an overwhelming feeling that is just impossible to describe. I never thought I could love you more than I did at that very moment, but then every day I started to love you more and more. How that was possible, I have no idea. When you first smiled, first laughed, first crawled, and first walked, I felt my heart expand. You slowly went from an adorable baby to a laughing, running, talking toddler. The days and weeks flew by, and although there were tiring times, I relished every single moment with you.
             You are one of my absolute favorite people to spend time with, because you never fail to make me laugh. You love to tickle me, and everything around you. You get such joy out the simple things in life, such as airplanes, trains, people, volleyball players, the ding-dong (hourly clock chime), happys (candles), lights, your friends, Daddy coming home from work, flowers, bees, squirrels, and the list goes on. You have taught me to slow down and appreciate these things as well.
              The day you repeated "I love you" to me was one of my proudest mommy moments. Then came the day when you said it first, un-prompted. You love so whole-heartedly, and are always there to give a kiss or a hug, or a "Bless You" when I sneeze. You love to help me clean up your toys and set the table, and you always put your own clothes in the hamper and dishes in the sink. Watching this independent quality that you possess fills me with pride.
              You are always so active and lively, but at nap and night time you just want to curl up in my lap and rocky-rock. Those are the best moments of my day. I cuddle you close, breathe in your baby smell, and listen to your heart beating against mine. There is nothing more sacred or precious to me than those moments with my little girl.
                Pretty soon you will have to share your mommy with your little brother. It's going to be new, and different. But I will always love you, more than you'll ever know. You'll always be my first baby, and that is something unique and special that you and I will always share. My love for you will not have to be split between both you and Joseph, because a Mother's love has no limit. It will grow and grow to encompass all my children. I will always be here for you, to rock, and cuddle, and play, and laugh. Even though I will be in the hospital for a few days, I will be thinking of you constantly, and counting down the minutes until I get to come home to you.
                 You are such a loving and sweet little girl, and I know you will be a fabulous big sister. I can't wait to start this new chapter of our lives. Above all, my sweet girl, I want you to know that I will love you always and forever, and nothing can ever change that.
                      Love,
                              Mommy

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Less than two weeks!

There is one week and 4 days left until my due date. Still nothing even close to indicating labor. I've stopped analyzing my false contractions, and look at them as nothing more than a nuisance at this point. Sleeping, which had not been a problem up until last night, is now painful. I sleep on my side, and every hour last night I woke up with hip pain from the side I was lying on. Rolling over isn't exactly easy, since I basically have to sit up and move myself around. Then I would decide, hey, I should go to the bathroom since i'm half-way up anyway. Needless to say, I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. 

I'm doing everything I can to stay active and busy. For one thing, it keeps my mind off the fact that i'm so incredibly pregnant, and for another, I'm hoping all the walking/moving around will either speed things up or help out when I go to deliver.

We spent Saturday doing last minute Joseph shopping at Babies R Us. I think we now have everything we need for him, for at least his first few days at home. I'm sure there will be things we'll need to rush out and get after those first few days, but at least we won't need to get anything on the day we bring him home.

Sunday we had two of our best couple friends over, one of which has a toddler Stephanie's age. It was a lot of fun, and I had tons of energy when they left, so I cleaned the apartment with Stephanie's help. (She followed me around, vacuuming with her vacuum, telling me what each dish it was that I was washing, and picking up all her toys for me.) I was hoping maybe that burst of cleaning energy was nesting, but I guess not, since he's still here! (I was also kind of hoping that I would have had to call my friends that morning and say "Change of plans! Come to the hospital to meet the baby!") 

Yesterday we had a play-date with my sister and niece, and the little girl I used to nanny for and her mommy. They all came to our apartment, and it was so fun to watch the girls play together. 

Today I went to the grocery store, and parked far away from the entrance. I was hoping that between the walk to and from the store, walking through the aisles, and lugging all the groceries, something would happen. Again...not so much.

I know  that the baby will come when he's ready, and it's not like i'm over-due or anything. I just keep hearing all these stories about second babies coming early and easily. (Well, easier than first babies.) I guess that the earlier thing isn't necessarily true. But i'm still holding out for the easy! And in the meantime, i'm going to continue to keep busy, because if nothing else, it makes it so that I don't spend undue amounts of time thinking "When is he coming? Why isn't he here yet?" 

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So Jealous!

I read www.mightymaggie.com fairly regularly, and the woman who writes the blog was due on October 8th, just like me. It's been fun to read along as she chronicles her pregnancy experience, since we're both going through it at the same time. In fact, yesterday she wrote about how she was so done being pregnant, and was feeling big and blah. Exactly the same sentiments that I've been having about this pregnancy.

Then, this morning, I see via Twitter that her water broke. After being in labor for only 2 hours and 12 minutes (!), she gave birth to her little girl. And I became SO JEALOUS because my baby isn't here yet!

I know there's still two weeks until my due-date, and that he's better off staying in as long as possible, blah blah blah. But as any woman who has even been pregnant knows, when you reach this point, you just want to be done. Now. And nothing makes that feeling stronger than hearing about someone who was due at the same time, and already had her baby. Sigh. But i'm very happy for her, and wish the whole family well. You know. When I put the brakes on my jealousy, I find it in me to wish them good thoughts. :)

I also know that, while i'm wishing Joseph would hurry up and make his appearance, these next two weeks will indeed fly by, and he'll be here before I know it. Because of this, I decided that Dan and I needed to squeeze in a last date night, since who knows when we'll get another chance to do that.

My Dad came up to watch Stephanie for us while we went to see I Don't Know How She Does It, which starred Sarah Jessica Parker. It wasn't the greatest movie, but it was cute. I had read the book, which of course was much better. But it was a light-hearted movie, and a chance for Dan and I to get some time together sans children. (Except for the one that i'm carrying around all the time of course.) After the movie we went out for ice-cream and had grown-up conversation. What a novelty! It was a lot of fun, and I actually think that the fact that we don't do it often makes it that much more special.

Before I end this, I want to tell you all that I've started using Twitter recently. I joined a few years ago and never used it, but now I tweet about new blog posts, so if you're interested, follow me: @megRtaylor

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Boring Dr's Visit

I had another OB visit today. It's down to once a week, which is exciting, except that today's visit ended up being verrrrrry boring.

My blood pressure was slightly elevated (probably due to the fact that I had had only two glasses of water all day, along with two cups of coffee). My weight was up by two pounds, which is kind of a lot, since it had only been a week since my last weigh-in. But again, the lack of water could have contributed to that. Baby's heartbeat was nice and strong, thank goodness. That's always my favorite part of the appointment, and makes the boring parts worth it. :) Other than that, there was really nothing to report. She didn't check me this time for dilation or effacement, so I have no idea if there's been any progression. But I'll be there again next week, so we'll see what happens.

In other news, I went shopping with my sister the other day. At the checkout counter, the woman asked me when I was due, and then asked how old Stephanie was. When I told her, she said "wow, you're going to have your hands full." I so badly wanted to respond with "Better full than empty!" but I just didn't quite have to guts to do it. I wish I could be so bold!

Then today at the grocery store, I was chatting with the cashier and bagger, and after everything was rung up, I handed the cashier my coupons, said "thank you" and started to walk away. She called me back saying "Ummm, this is the part where you pay me for the food..." Talk about embarrassing! Luckily we had been having a friendly conversation, so she said it in a joking way. But still. I was pretty mortified.

Ahhh, I need this baby to come soon so I can start to feel like a functioning human being again. (After I get through the months of sleep deprivation that is.)

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Storytime

I made the decision to start taking Stephanie to storytime at the local library. I decided she needed exposure to both other children and a semi-structured environment.

At first I didn't want to make the commitment, since Joseph is due in less than 3 weeks (!), but then I read up on it, and realized that this year they are doing drop-in storytime instead of registration. This means I can show up when I want, and not show up when I don't want to. Perfect for my situation! I was really excited this morning, and since Stephanie has started showing greater amounts of concentration with playing, and a greater attention span for activities, I figured she'd do great. Well....not so much.

We got there early, so I took her to the children's room. She loves library children's rooms, and runs all over, looking at books, coloring, and playing with the toys. When I told her it was time to go to storytime, she was game, and walked with me to the meeting room.

 The librarian started by blowing bubbles, so Stephanie was captivated. But then the bubbles went away, and she didn't understand why. (More bubbles Mama, more bubbles!) Then the librarian started reading the story, and Stephanie wanted nothing to do with that. She went over to this little ledge/step thing where all the librarian "stuff" was. She just wanted to climb up and down, so I let her, until another child joined her, and that mom went right over and brought her back to the group. Ooops. So I got my kid, and brought her back, too. Mine didn't react quite as calmly as the other one.

 Then we did some songs, and she liked those. But after the first two, she was done, and kept trying to escape the meeting room to go back to the library. I dragged her back, kicking and screaming.

 Then the parachute came out, and she loved that. But then it went away, and the tears started. (More Mama, more!) The end of storytime involved free-play with blocks. She was interested for about five minutes, and then that was it. I finally took her back to the children's room and let her play for a few minutes.

After that, I took her across the street to the playground, which she loves. Some of the other moms and children were there too, so I struck up a conversation with a few of them. (Nobody seemed horribly appalled by my child's behavior, so that was good. Even though she was the only one who didn't seem interested in the song and stories. More proof that I should have been taking her to structured classes sooner than 19 months.)

In the end, I decided that this was a good experience. (Bet you weren't expecting me to say that!) But it showed me that I need to consistently bring her back so that she gets used to it. I need to be encouraging, and show her how much fun i'm having. (Which would be easier if I wasn't about to give birth, but oh well.) I'm actually looking forward to going again, and I hope Stephanie will enjoy it more and more each time we go.

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37 Weeks Tomorrow!

Holy Cow, I will be 37 weeks pregnant tomorrow. That's officially full-term, meaning that if he chooses to come early, he should be completely healthy. Yay! That's always such an exciting milestone to reach.

I've been feeling very...weird lately. Extra crampy and tons of Braxton Hicks contractions, coupled with pressure and other pre-labor symptoms that I won't write about because they're kinda gross.

I went to the Dr yesterday, and she confirmed that he is indeed head down. YAY! No breech baby for me. I'm completely relieved because, since my first baby was not a c-section, I really didn't want this one to be. (Of course, I would have done it if it was best for baby...but i'm glad that's not an issue.)

I have no dilation yet, but my cervix is softening. (Ok, that's one of those things i'm not sure whether I should blog about. Is that TMI and gross to read about? Sorry if it is.) But, at least these painful contractions are doing SOMETHING. And they are ultimately preparing my body for delivery, so I try to remember that when they start to irritate and annoy me.

We're semi-ready for him if he chooses to make his appearance. There are still a few more things to buy, we need to install the car-seat and set up the stroller, and I need to finish packing the hospital bags. But, in the grand scheme of things, if he comes today we're pretty much ready.

I know that the longer he's in there, the better it is for him. But let me tell you, there are days when I just WANT THIS KID OUT!!! I'm ready to start our new adventure. I want to stop wondering/worry about Stephanie's reaction. I want to know how the labor/delivery are going to go. I want to feel like a normal-sized human being again.

 Then on the other hand, I think that it won't be so bad if he waits all the way until his due date to make his grand appearance. Those thoughts come when we have nice lazy mornings like today's, where Stephanie sleeps until 7:30, and I get to write a blog while she plays, with no newborn screaming and needing to be changed/fed/rocked. I guess I just need to realize that it's one of those things where all I can do is be prepared, and accept the fact that I won't know when he's going to arrive. In the meantime, I need to embrace, enjoy, and soak up these days, because our lives are going to change in a huge way in just 3 short weeks!

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Building a Puzzle

Yesterday Stephanie and I sat down to work on her farm puzzle together. She loves puzzles, but when we work on them, she gets frustrated if she can't immediately get the pieces to fit. (It's one of those wooden peg puzzles, where each piece has the same picture printed in it's correct spot.) She can match the piece to its spot, and often can put it in by herself. But if she doesn't get it right away, she'll ask for help instead of continuing to try. This doesn't bother me, because she's only 19 months old, and I think the fact that she can even get the pieces in some of the time is pretty good.

Well, after working on it with her for a little while, I needed to get up and do some things. She dumped the puzzle out again, and sat on the floor to work on it by herself. I puttered around, doing some things for about 15 minutes. At that point, I heard her exclaim "Stephanie, Yay!" I checked on her, and every piece was in it's correct spot. She proceeded to play with the puzzle for another 20 minutes, taking each piece out, and putting it back in. She never once asked for my help.

Now, you're probably thinking i'm just bragging about my child here, but honestly that wasn't the purpose of this post. (Although, as her Mommy, i'm amazed and proud, and want to tell everyone I see what she accomplished.) No, the real reason i'm writing about this is that it taught me a valuable lesson: I don't always need to sit with her while she plays and help her accomplish things. She's capable of doing it on her own, and in fact I think that sometimes it's better for her to work it out herself.

When I left her alone, she had to problem-solve, try, get frustrated, and keep trying until she accomplished what she was trying to do. All too often, as parents we want to jump right in and solve these problems for our children. But if we always do that, they will never learn to do it on their own. Building that puzzle without my help was a huge boost to her confidence. She was so proud of herself, and seeing that pride on her face made me happier than the fact that she built a puzzle on her own.

She is growing into an independent little girl, and it's important for me to foster that. I need to step back more often, and let her struggle through things on her own. It's hard, because I hate to see her get frustrated when she's working on something. But it's a valuable life skill for her to learn, and she proved to me last night that she is more than capable of doing certain things on her own. I'm a very proud Mommy today :)

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I Won!

A few months ago I entered a Yoplait Kids Yogurt giveaway. The prize was a pack full of samples, coupons, and fun toddler activities. When I entered, I used an email address that I don't check very often. (Why? I have no idea.) After a few weeks, I randomly checked the email address, and lo and behold, there was an email saying I had won! Except that it had come about three weeks prior to me actually receiving the email. I wrote back quickly, but the person in charge of the giveaway said that, sadly, I was too late to claim my prize. Just my luck, since I hardly ever win anything.

But, I got over it. Then last week, one of the Parenting.com bloggers, Taylor Newman, posted a giveaway on her personal blog Alt-Mama.com . It was for an all-natural, organic, waterproof mattress pad cover. Perfect for the potty training we're going to be working on once this little guy is here and settled in. I entered the contest, because I figured it's definitely something we're going to need!

This morning I went onto the blog and found out that I won!! I was seriously shocked because, like I said, I rarely win anything, and to win two giveaways in one season is unheard of. I'm so excited, and let me tell you, I will definitely be claiming this prize on time.

Thank you to Taylor and Alt-Mama.com for posting such a fabulous contest. I also recommend you check out Taylor's blogs, she's a great writer, and fun to read.

~As a quick little ending to this post, I just have to tell you all that I sat down to write this as soon as I realized I won. Stephanie saw me typing away on my computer, said "Stephanie's computer!" and ran to get her toddler Leaptop. She's now sitting next to me "working" on her computer. I wish you could see the look of concentration on her face as she taps away on the keys, but I know if I leave to get a camera, she'll stop working. But trust me...it's adorable. :)

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Just A Little Whining

Ok, there are 4 weeks and 3 days left until my due date. And I am completely, 100% done with being pregnant. Obviously, I know these next 4 weeks are important. I'm not rushing them/hoping he comes now/begging my doctor for an induction. But I feel huge and pregnant and just...done.

My feet are swollen for the first time this pregnancy. Although, on second thought, maybe they've been swollen all along, but today was the first time I tried to put on my fall shoes. And when I put them on, they pinched and hurt.

My belly is huge, because i'm carrying him completely in the front. His kicks/punches are getting more aggressive, and honestly, there are times when they really HURT!

Sleeping? Well, lets just say i'm up every 2-3 hours to use the bathroom. Then I can't get comfortable. Then I get comfortable and he starts kicking up a storm. Then just as I doze off, the toddler cries out. (Ok, I know that's not pregnancy related. But it still disrupts my sleep.) Everyone loves to say that all this disruption is just practice for when the baby comes. But, um, I don't need practice. I lived through it 19 months ago. I remember it clearly. I'd rather use these last few weeks to get some decent sleep in!

I'm also exhausted. Like, can barely keep my eyes open exhausted. My body feels sluggish and big, and it's hard to walk and sit and stand and move. I won't even talk about trying to get out of a big cushy chair.

Ok, now that i've gotten it all out there for the internet world to read, I feel guilty for complaining. I am aware every day of the blessing that is this baby, and I try so hard not to take him for granted. I also feel like I wrote a very similar post very recently. I'm taking that to mean it's just been one of those days where I'm feeling sorry for myself, and tomorrow will be better. Then i'll forget all about these feelings, until the next time I blog about them and it starts to sound familiar. So, if you've read a similar post lately, I do apologize. But it's what's on my mind, so it's what you get tonight.

I'll end on a positive note though. Despite all the pain that gets inflicted on me with this little one's acrobatics, there is something so magical about watching my belly move up and down and all around. It never fails to bring a smile to my face. Even if the smile turns to a grimace of pain rather quickly.

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A Blog Recommendation

When I first started reading Denene Millner's blog at Parenting.com ( http://www.parenting.com/blogs/my-brown-baby), I didn't think that she and I had a lot in common. First of all, she's a professional writer who has published books and written for magazines. Also, her children are older than mine, she lives down south, and she writes from the prospective of a black mother. However, even though my initial thought was, "I can't relate to this woman," I was continually intrigued by her blogs, and kept going back to read them. As I was given a glimpse into the various aspects of her life, I started to look at things from her point of view. I began to undersand that, even though our perspectives are very different,  I was learning a lot from this woman, and I was thinking about life in ways that I hadn't previously considered.

Denene is an excellent writer, and I think that is part of the reason why I kept reading, even though my tendency is to read blogs written by young stay-at-home moms with toddlers and/or newborns. (Basically, women very similar to myself.)

As I continued to read, I started to realize that, despite our differences, Denene and I have one major thing in common: we are mothers. As mothers, we want the best for our children, and will fight to make sure they are safe and protected. When I started thinking about that, I realized that I truly CAN relate to Denene's writing, and that I also greatly admire her as a woman, a mother, and a writer.

This past Friday, Denene wrote a post about Labor Day, and I fell in love with the piece. It completely summed up my feelings of motherhood. If you are a mother yourself, you can't help but relate to her words, and if you aren't a mother, this will really give you a glimpse into the life of a mom, and will show you what our job truly involves. I highly recommend that you check out her entry, and let me know if you like it as much as I do! Enjoy, and happy Labor Day!
http://www.parenting.com/blogs/parenting-post/denene-millner-mybrownbaby/labor-day

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September Already??

Ok, to start I have to complain about the fact that I was 3/4 done with this blog entry, and my computer shut off. Granted it was my fault, since the battery was dying and I didn't plug in, but STILL. Annoying. Anyway, moving on.

I cannot believe the it is September already. How did that happen? Where did summer go? Ok, so I know that technically it's still summer. But signs of fall are popping up everywhere. It's been chilly in the mornings and evenings; Stephanie has had to wear a sweater when we leave the house the past few days. Public schools are starting, and college kids are moving into their dorm rooms. And for me, the biggest sign of fall is the fact that my due date is in 5 weeks.

Back in January, when I first saw that positive sign, fall seemed light-years away. It was still winter! We needed to get through spring and summer first. But those seasons have flown by, and now it's down to crunch time. I'm counting how many weeks are left now, instead of how many weeks along I am. I'm anxious about everything I still have left to do, and am forcing myself to take it one step at a time. (Plus I know that all the major stuff is done, or getting done this weekend.) I'm also starting to get really excited to meet him. There are so many times when I feel like I've been too busy to just think about him, and what he's going to be like. I'm too focused on everything else, and it makes me sad. But now that it's so close, I look forward to just seeing him for the first time, and holding him and cuddling him. I can't wait!

Oh, before I end this, a quick Dr's update. He still might be breech, the doctor can't tell. If she isn't sure at the next appointment, she'll schedule an ultrasound. My blood pressure was very low, so she told me I could eat a little more salt, and to make sure i'm drinking enough water. I've been very lightheaded lately, and she said it's probably a combination of dehydration and low blood pressure. But my weight gain is only at 22 pounds, versus the 39 it was at this point with Stephanie! That makes me happy. :) So all in all, things look good, and I just keep hoping and praying that he is head-down!

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