More sick

Yeah, so now I'M sick. I was thinking yesterday afternoon that my digestive tract wasn't quite right, and I was proven right last night. I laid around on the bathroom floor for quite a while before I finally threw up. I HATE to throw up. I fight it, and make myself miserable, even though I know I'll feel better afterwards. I hadn't eaten anything since lunch and I'm surprised there was even anything in there, but, oh, was there. I stayed home from work today as my insides are still not right. I'm trying to drink a lot and eat some soup and see if it stays down. I guess I have a virus of some sort- one of the kids in my class puked in our reading center yesterday and got sent home, and we had another one out sick- I'm guessing that's it.
Plus, poor Randy is STILL harboring a fever, and I can't get him to stay home. He has a big bid due that has to get done. That's really his only symptom, except for a sore throat, which could be from his indigestion issues. I've been making him stay on Tylenol. I wish I knew WHY he was running a fever, but I'll never get him to go to the Dr.
I've got to feel better for tomorrow's field trip. Only 4 more days until track-out.

Sick

Poor Randy is sick! He was complaining of feeling cold all day, but he didn't seem warm to me until we got home from some light Christmas shopping. I felt his forehead later on, and he was burning up! He has a low-grade fever, and he said he was all achy. I made him take some Tylenol. He has since turned off the space heater that was aimed right at him, and taken off his sweater, so I assume the Tylenol is working for now. I DO NOT want to get a fever. I am in enough pain as it is, and I don't handle fevers well. The spot on my ribs has been burning all day- its weird, because there is actually a spot (about the size of a quarter) on my skin that is numb/prickly right there- almost like I had sunburn in that one spot! Very strange.
Gracie has had the hiccups off and on ALL DAY! And when she's not hiccupping, she's kicking me like a pro soccer player! I told Randy earlier that sometimes it feels like I have one of those weasel-on-a-ball things that rolls around inside me. Except a really heavy one!
Other than that, not much else going on. I am sad that the long weekend is over, but I only have 7 more days of work until track-out- woohoo! Thursday we are going on a field trip, which I KNOW will wear me out- we're going to the science museum, which I typically like, but the crazies in my class will be hard to keep up with, for sure.
Wish me luck for these last few days of work...

30 week belly shots

Not many more of these to go!

Looks like Shelby's not so sure about that belly... I'm not either, to tell the truth. Doesn't seem like it can get much bigger, but I know it will! I'm running out of different colored tanktops that still fit over it to take these pics in! I have a system in choosing colors (for my scrapbook).

We had a good turkey day- not as hectic this year as it usually is. Looking forward to 3 more days off work.

I guess I can reveal my preggo friends officially now, as all families should have been informed: Sherry and Kelly are the newest members of the mommy-to-be club! We are all entering into this newest phase of life at the same damn time, and that is very cool.

Not much else going on- my Dr. appt on Wed. went fine- I swear, one of these days I will walk in there and NOT get my finger pricked- I bitch about it to the nurse everytime- they don't even smile apologetically at me anymore! I am now taking Zantac for heartburn, and it seems to help. I was going through the Rolaids like they were candy...

I got all the 0-3 month baby clothes and stuff washed and folded, and we ordered the dresser/changing table and crib finally! We start birthing classes next Thursday- should be loads of fun. I'm looking forward to the baby care aspect (lord knows I need it!) and the hospital tour. I'm hoping they give lots of tips on how to know you are in labor- that's my main fear right now, is that I'm going to ignore contractions or think they're nothing ("it can't REALLY be time, right?") and not get to the hospital in time for an epidural. Can't miss THAT! Or else I have a bunch of false alarms and wasted trips to the hospital. I need a little built-in button that pops up when real labor sets in, and it needs a timer to tell me when to head out the door for Rex Hospital... wouldn't that be nice?

O. M. G.

I had the surprise of my life yesterday, compliments of some very caring (and extremely sneaky) friends, and my hubby. Sherry organized a SURPRISE BABY SHOWER for me! And I honestly had no idea about it. I am very hard to surprise- I snoop and pay attention to things so I usually find out if someone is planning a surprise for me. NOT this time. I have never been so shocked in my life to walk into Sherry's house and see ALL of my close friends under one roof. I couldn't decide whether to turn and run or stand there and cry. I ended up crying!
So many people were there, and it required a huge undertaking of getting everyone together- Randy had to break into my email and go through my cell phone and a lot of networking of people went on. There were my friends from high school, work, relatives, social hour (craft night), and Grant's parents were there, too! I will post some pics as soon as I get them downloaded.
And these are all the most generous people on the face of the earth! They cleaned out our registries and there was so much cute stuff. We got so much incredible stuff for Gracie. This child is going to be spoiled ROTTEN- hell, she already is! It took me forever to organize and put it all away last night.
I have to send shout-outs to everyone that attended (and those that couldn't but wanted to be there), and special shout-out huge THANK YOUs to Sherry for putting it all together, Kelly for the favors and an incredible diaper cake (and driving to Raleigh AGAIN), Diane and Harmony for helping Sherry host, and Randy for facilitating and doing a great job of keeping the secret. I have never been so touched and grateful to have such incredible people in my life. I am a seriously lucky girl, as is baby Gracie. =)

Progesterone in the air

Randy and I have decided that we know WAY too many people who are expecting children (or have recently had a baby)!!! We keep finding out left and right about people getting pregnant. The most recent one is one I am VERY excited about, but once again, I must keep a secret for a bit. That's the thing about already being pregnant- you get to be one of the first people to find out when your friends/coworkers are preggo- but then you gotta keep a secret! We've got lots of baby gifts to buy in the coming months- yay! I love baby shopping. And just when Gracie is getting big and out of the newborn stage, I'll have plenty of friends' newbies to cuddle.
I think we are going to Babies R Us today to buy a crib and dresser. We got some really good coupons in the mail and we need to take advantage.
9 days until track out. Woohoo!

Gracie

I will now post the official (until-we-change-our-mind-again) decision on the baby's name:

Savannah Gracelyn

and we are going to call her Gracie. We think. We're 95% sure.
So far, everyone we've told has loved the name, and I already have several co-workers that call her Gracie. It just sounds right. We went back and forth several times about using a nickname for her middle name as what she will go by. But this way, she will have a bit of a choice about what name she likes to be called, and it can change as she gets older and grows out of Gracie.
Savannah is important to us because we went on a trip to Savannah, Georgia when we got engaged (even though Randy actually proposed in Charleston, SC). And Randy found Gracelyn on a baby-name website, and we both really liked it.
Not too much else going on. I'm still in considerable pain by the end of the workday. I got totally fed up and angry at my bed/pillows last night. I know I drove poor Randy crazy, huffing and puffing and sighing and carrying on. I could NOT get comfortable, and my heartburn was miserable and to top it off, I couldn't breathe through my nose! Let's hope for a better night tonight.
We're going to a Hurricanes game Saturday- we got an offer for half-price tickets, so Kelly and Jon and us splurged on really nice seats. I'm looking forward to it. I loves me some hockey! I just hope they play better than they have tonight- they are losing 1-5 right now!
Oh, I guess I can announce that one of my friends who is pregnant is Lindsay!! Most people at work know by now. She is due May 30. I am so excited for her!
The people I work with are doing a shower for me and 2 other preggos at the beginning of December- I am looking forward to it, and am so grateful to work with such great peeps, as this is probably the only shower I will have.
That's it for now. 11 days until track-out!!!!

525,600 minutes

525,600 moments so dear
525,600 minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?

Yep- I saw Rent last night. It was my third time. Randy surprised me with tickets (excellent ones at that). He knew I wanted to go, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to sit through it because of my back pain. But he took a chance, and I am SO glad he did! I loaded up on Tylenol before we went, and that helped. I wasn't insanely comfortable, but I enjoyed it so much that it didn't matter!
I LOVE that show. Adore it. Will be singing the songs for the next month. Will go see it again anytime it comes around here. There is something about it that just makes you think about your life, and makes you realize how precious and real life is. The music is incredible, and the show is funny, touching and so well done.
The baby seemed to enjoy it. She squirmed around the entire time, and the louder the music got, the more she moved.
The role of Collins was played by Anwar Robinson, who was on American Idol a few seasons ago- he was the music teacher that probably should have won. Sorta glad he didn't, because he seems to have found a place in musical theatre- he was awesome! I didn't like the actor who played Angel as much as the one the last time I saw the show, though the crowd seemed to love him/her. You could tell that most of the people there had seen it before. If YOU haven't seen it, you need to.
Anyway, that was my exciting night on the town. Not much going on it other news. We're having a big drama at work over changes that they want to make to the schedule. In the middle of the year. Big changes. And several people, me included, may not go back if they don't consider everyone's point of view and the roles we all play in their scenario.
We got the nursery painted. We have a bit of touch up to do, that may or may not eventually get done. Now, furniture. Seriously.

Tidbits

Let's see, what's been going on...
We started finishing the nursery paint today- we got the white paint to do the area under the chair rail- yeah, we copped out of the wainscotting. Oh well. We've done one coat, and it is looking really good. I think the black furniture will be perfect with the bee theme. Now, we just need to DECIDE on and ORDER the furnitre.
I got the loft cleaned out, and the nursery closet. All our tubs of stuff have been moved to the closet in the other bedroom or the attic, except for a few. I am tired. I think I hyper-extended my elbow in my carrying of stuff around, and it is sore!
My back/rib pain has reached unbearable limits. I even called the Dr. yesterday- they basically told me to deal with it. Gee, thanks. I'm ok as long as I am walking around, but I can't walk around all the time- by the end of the day I just want to sit, but I have to lay down to lessen the pain. Makes it hard to eat in the evening (which is bad because I haven't gained the weight the Dr. wanted me to gain- I'm gonna get fussed at at my next appt.). We went to a basketball game the other night and I stood up for most of it. I'm going to a play with my class on Monday, and I'm afraid I'm going to hurt since I have to sit for over an hour. I can't drive/ride in the car for long periods. I want to go see Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Hurricanes games and Rent, but I know I won't make it through the performances. It gets so bad at times that I'm almost in tears!
On the brighter side, the youngun gets the hiccups now! Very cute. And she is moving around more- for a few weeks she wasn't tumbling around in there as much, but now she is all over the place. It is very reassuring. I get worried if she hasn't moved in a while.
We have about 18 schools days until track-out. YEAH!
The weather has finally turned cooler, which is nice. And we get an extra hour of sleep tonight.
I had to go buy a new bra. Let me tell you, if you've never gone to Vicky's Secret and had a professional fitting, DO IT!!! The girl was SO nice and helpful. I needed one without underwire, which was just irritating my ribs situation. I am evidently hard to fit because I am so petite. I really needed a 34 DD (ACK- where did THAT come from?!!!!!) but had to go with just a D because the DD didn't fit my narrow shoulders. I tell you, it is so worth it to me to spend a small fortune on good underwears.
That's about it for now. Shelly had her baby- boy is he cute! I am getting really excited about meeting our kiddo, but I think I'll miss being pregnant- maybe that's why they make the last trimester so hard, so you'll want the kid OUT of you!