22 Days - My Promise

My promise to Erik and all concerned friends and relatives is this: if we have a girl - I will never do this to our daughter.

Toddlers-tiaras-with-ashley-tisdale

There you have it in writing...

Did you know that Scotland Yard was formed in London on this day, back in 1829?

Who said this blog wouldn't be educational?

Speaking of education, I received my undergrad degree from Valparaiso University in 1995. It truly was a wonderful experience, in particular my freshman year was probably one of the best years of my life (although my liver paid dearly and my grades suffered terribly). 20 years ago I moved into my dorm room, not knowing that some of my dearest friends were right down the hall.

Our floor freshman year was crazy. For the most part, all of the girls got along great, in fact many of them pledged the same sorority; however I did not. But that fact did not break our bond...for some years later I had the amazing good fortune of reconnecting with the Valpo Gals.

It is hard to believe I've known this group of girls for 20 years now. I feel so very fortunate to have them in my life...more than words can express.

A couple of weeks ago they through the Nugget a baby shower - one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. It was a wonderful time and it made me realize the depth of our friendship and what true friendship means. It means being there, through the good and the bad. It means to be strong, when your friend might need a shoulder to cry on. It means to be supportive, loving, and respectful. It means not passing judgment for making poor decisions. It means to forgive, forget, and move on with a deeper sense of who we all are and with an even deeper bond of friendship.

This shower was so personal, so warm. They knew that Erik likes to work on various art projects, and quite honestly he is very talented. So as part of the shower we all got to be creative and make our own little drawings for the baby's room. Here is a picture:

We plan on framing this gem. I cannot wait for the Nugget to meet these girls. I can only hope and pray that our little bambino will have as deep and meaningful friendships as I do with the Valpo Gals.

Here is a really cute video...

Perhaps while I'm on maternity leave I can work with our pets to coordinate something like this...

Dog Show

Today is National Ask a Stupid Question Day...24 days remain

So here is a question...maybe not so stupid...but why do people think it is okay to clip their fingernails at their desk at work? Is it me or is that just odd?

Maybe it is the weather and the fact for the past three days I've shown up to work looking like a drowned rat, that I'm feeling a bit ornery...sorry.

Alas, we have 24 days left - however we had a doctor's appointment yesterday and the Nugget seems to have made itself comfortable and has not descended. One of the items I find so fascinating is that while the Nugget is cooking, it is practicing for life outside of the womb. I can tell you this...this Nugget has some fancy footwork and might become a professional Irish Jig dancer.

One of the many other things I'm fascinated by is the fact that the Nugget can "taste" what I eat. There have been studies that state if you want your child be a fruit/vegetable eater that you should introduce these foods during the second/third trimester. So when I found this out, I decided that I would do my best to try all sort of different ethnic foods/spices. This has worked for the most part but there are some definite staples in my diet that the Nugget will have an acquired taste for. For the most part, I haven't had many crazy cravings...early on I was like Elvis, wanting peanut butter and bananas. Then, my cravings turned into healthier alternatives: Pineapple, watermelon, apples, and asparagus.

Here is a list of my staples:

1. Dunkin' Donuts decaf coffee (now with pumpkin spice)
2. Pineapple
3. Honeycrisp, or Gala apples
4. Watermelon
5. Strawberries
6. Asparagus
7. Cheese
8. Grilled cheese sandwiches
9. Cheeseburgers
10. Pickles...this is the latest one

Please note that I love these foods separately, but not so much together - except the grilled cheese sandwich with pickles.

Hope you all have a wonderful day.

Day 256...with 25 days left

***WARNING***

Today's blog is going to be a tad lovey dovey...and for that I apologize ahead of time.

So let's begin...

Being pregnant you get a lot of advice; from books, strangers, friends, family, various websites, and there is even a pregnancy application tracker for your phone. Technology is amazing.

For today's entry in the pregnancy tracker it is about the "New Dad-to-Be Instincts."

Erik is a wonderful dad. The way he loves Allie, cares for her, and sacrifices his own wants and needs is amazing. Being a dad seems to come so natural to him. He epitomizes everything I can hope to be as a parent.

But my pride in him as a parent doesn't end there. Several months ago, we went to visit a friend who had recently given birth. The gentleness he showed when holding the newborn, literally took my breath away. Then, my dear friend Nikki brought her little one over and Erik's face lit up. He has the sweet nurturing attitude that is wonderful to witness.

However, there are so many other things that make me proud of Erik. He is one of the smartest individuals I know, but he can also keep up with my sense of humor - which is a feat unto itself because my humor is crazy. Granted there are times when I do something goofy and the look on his face is priceless. I love the way he can dumb-down things for me, like the book, "The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology," by Ray Kurzweil. Mr. Kurzweil suggests that with technological singularity, referring to the hypothetical future emergence of greater-than human intelligence through technology, that humans can expand their bodies and minds with technology. But then Erik can easily make me laugh...I'm talking deep down-gut laugh...as seen here in a picture that we took at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.

He has shown amazing patience with me throughout the pregnancy. Quite honestly, I think I've been a real gem throughout the past several months, but the reality is I've probably been a bit of a pill. As mentioned in an earlier blog, I really wish he could read my mind. It would make things so much easier...but I just need to be realistic, which is difficult to do with these hormones. I guess the roller coaster of emotions does create a certain amount of entertainment. Needless to say, I'm grateful that Erik is so understanding and patient.

Erik has been traveling for work last week and this week. I miss him tons...even though all four pets never leave my side when I'm home these days there is a void in the house when he isn't around. He has this ability, which I'm not sure he is aware of, to calm me down, soothe my nerves - to the point where I really don't worry. For my Type A personality where my specialty is to worry about not worrying enough, this is quite an accomplishment. For that and so many other reasons I am deeply appreciative of him.



26 Days...Euphoria

It is hard to believe that I felt 2011 was going to be another uneventful year…boy was I wrong.

It started off like any other New Year’s celebration – “The Balls Out Thermos New Year’s,” which consisted of me falling asleep on the couch by 10pm, but somehow waking up at 11pm to watch the Times Square celebration, only to return back to sleep.

Who’d know that 2 weeks later my life would change into everything I’ve ever wanted or dreamt of, but never thought would come true.

No, I’m not going to bore you with the details, but I will say this…there is always hope.

Anywho, these are exciting times for both the Neitzel-Thermos family. Erik’s side of the family is doubling their number grandchildren and my parent’s have tripled theirs!!!!! Needless to say, I’m so looking forward to this Holiday Season.

This past week, my sister’s family brought home their second daughter from China. Her name is Lu Li and I had the pleasure of not only greeting them at the airport when they arrived, but I also got to spend yesterday afternoon with both Mei Li and Lu Li. Seriously, how many 36-week pregnant women run around with a 7-year-old and a 3-year-old?

The other day, I mentioned unconditional love in the blog. Well, to experience that feeling in seeing Mei Li, holding Lu Li’s hand as they walked through the doors at O’Hare, created that euphoria. The best way to describe it is feeling sunshine on your soul.

Yesterday I felt the same feeling when Lu Li would run over to me to get her picture taken, or to get tickled.

Also, it was truly amazing to watch Mei Li care for her sister. She was so gentle and patient, helping her up and down the stairs, holding her hand, giving her hugs, etc. Whenever Lu Li would start to cry, Mei Li was by her side. In a short period of time, I learned a great deal from my 7-year-old niece, and realized there are euphoric boon moments around us all the time…have a wonderful day.

3x3x3--27 Days To Go

In honor of Howard Cain winning the Florida straw pole, the name of today's blog is in honor of his 9X9X9 plan...

 Watching the Republican Debate was like watching the Last Comic Standing...One thing that the recent debate taught me is that everything and anything pertaining to the 2012 election is going to be a zoo, similar to the zoo in our house.

Currently, we have two dogs, Archie and Baxter; two cats, Lady Diana and Tory, and two fish, Nacho and Sucki Sucki. Every morning we are greeted by Archie giving kisses and Baxter doing his Chewbacca impression. Lady Diana is re-enacting the Wizard of Oz as a one-cat show, and Tory is doing her best to get Archie to chase her.

Then we corral the dogs and go for a walk, followed by breakfast for all…

Needless to say our Nugget is going to have to love animals. At least, I hope the bambino has the same love for animals that Erik and I do. It is obvious that Tory already loves the Nugget as she keeps the crib/changing table warm, eagerly anticipating the Nugget’s arrival.

In the past few weeks, the pets have started to cling to me…Lady Diana sleeps by my head; Tory likes to be carried around; Baxter and Archie are extremely protective of me while on our walks. Animals are so fascinating – their ability to love unconditionally, but most importantly their ability to forgive and forget so quickly. This is one item I wish I could incorporate into my life, as well as teach our child. Life is way too short to hold grudges, plus it takes too much energy.

There are so many things we can all learn from our pets if we just take a moment to observe how they live their lives.

Top 10 Things I Can Learn From My Pets

1.       Love unconditionally

2.       Forgive and forget without holding a grudge

3.       Take time to smell the grass…or the roses

4.       Greet loved ones as if you haven’t seen them in years

5.       Let my loved ones know they are loved

6.       Enjoy every meal

7.       Patience

8.       Finding joy with small surprises

9.       Take naps

10.     Play daily

Perhaps if everyone tries to incorporate one of the items above life will be a boon, always.

Tory

Archie & Baxter

Lady Diana

28 Days Later...

Did you ever see this movie? I did, with my friend Nikki. It was said to be one of the scariest movies of the year. We both thought it was one of the funniest movies we had ever seen. “Rage Monkey,” still makes me giggle. I guess I never got the artistic message about how rage/anger is taking over society.

Speaking of giggling…my body makes me laugh. You know how many pregnant women get the “turkey timer,” where the belly button morphs from an innie to an outie …well mine resembles our unborn child sticking its tongue out. Needless to say, I’ve tried to prepare Erik for this little Nugget’s arrival, and what kind of craziness will ensue…I’ve heard, and my mother has reminded me, that having a child of your own is basically your parent’s roundabout way of seeking revenge for all of the “gray hairs” you gave the growing up. Needless to say, I was not the easiest child to deal with.

So here is a list of things that I did as a child that hopefully our child will never ever consider doing:

List of Childhood Craziness

1. Sitting on the stove and catching myself on fire at the age of 2.5
2. Riding my tricycle naked in the neighborhood because I couldn’t take the time to get dressed after swimming
3. Getting a concussion the day before we were going to leave on vacation. It had just finished raining and my mom told me not to go outside and ride my bike…so what did I do? Went outside, rode my bike, and got a concussion
4. When my parents would reprimand me, I would close my eyes, as if to say “I can’t see you, therefore I can’t hear you.” Very early on I exhibited extremely stubborn behavior
5. Rescuing stray animals and in some cases people
6. My nickname was “Red Headed Devil.” Not because I had red hair but because I had a bad temper
7. I was the neighborhood bully…I’m too embarrassed to share with you any stories…let’s just say one instant involved a baseball bat
8. Feeding the people in the television Cheerios. I actually thought people lived inside the TV

I guess that is it for now…I’m sure at some point when I can’t sleep I will think of some more…until then – have a great day.

29 Days and Holding

Thank you for tuning in...

So there are 29 days left and surprisingly I'm not freaking out, too much. But one thing I have noticed is that my imagination is super peculiar (more so than usual). Outside of wrapping myself in protective bubble wrap, I find myself cautiously approaching each task with some hesitation to make sure I won’t fall or get punched in the gut. You might be asking yourself why would I get punched in the gut? Well…one of the side effects of pregnancy is that you get to experience irrational emotional roller coasters. Luckily, I’ve been able to experience my pregnancy with some dear friends who can relate to these crazy thoughts. I feel bad for Erik. He really is extremely understanding and patient with me, and I’m so very thankful…The one thing I would like to see from him, is being able to read my mind. See, there I go with my peculiar imagination.

So anyway – yes…my fear is that someone is going to come up and punch me in the gut while I’m walking to the train, or to work, or in the store. Then these thoughts turn into me becoming protective Mama Bear and I envision myself putting these would be offenders into a choke-hold until help arrives.

Just the other day, I was walking the dogs in the morning and some crazy jogger got too close to me, but I was ready to punch him in the nose and let the dogs get him. Instead, Baxter just tried to eat him. So all was good.

My irrational thoughts could be a blog unto itself…something’s are really funny and I find myself laughing out loud. So picture this…some pregnant woman listening to headphones bopping along, laughing hysterically as she looks up in the sky and smiles…then her face contorts as she catches a whiff of someone’s body odor. Yeah, I know crazy. Erik is a saint for putting up with me.

So here are some things that I will not miss about being pregnant…again, these are in no particular order.

Top Ten Things I Will Not Miss About Being Pregnant

1.      Forgetting how to spell

2.      Bloody noses

3.      Fire down below – and I’m not talking about the Steven Seagal movie

4.      Feeling full after two bites, then being hungry an hour later

5.      Not being able to control my emotions

6.      Commuting – not that I’m looking for people to be nice to me, but it would be nice if someone would offer me their seat. There was an instant (I’ve only been offered someone’s seat twice), where some kind man offered me his seat and while I was gathering my belongings some other lady took it. Needless to say, I did approach the woman and explained to her what happened and now Linda and I are friends. Life is good

7.      Having to go to the bathroom every 10 minutes

8.      Not being able to carry in the groceries

9.      Not being able to dance around my apartment without being afraid of losing my balance – I would like to throw in a few high-kicks for effect but I don’t want to end up on my butt

10.  Weird cramping that feels like some tied a corset around my gut at the most inopportune times

Needless to say, these really aren’t bad and I’ve learned to be at my body’s beckon call…which makes me realize that this whole experience is a boon.

30 Days and Counting....

The past several months have taught me a lot about myself and life in general. It has taught me tolerance and patience, selflessness and sacrifice, wonder and amazement, and that I still have so much to learn in all of these areas.

But most importantly I've learned that miracles do happen.

We are nearing the home stretch of the pregnancy marathon and we are eager, excited, energetic and eating a lot more. We can see the finish line; our heart rate, running strides and breaths coming into unison and increase as this wonderful event of pregnancy morphs itself into parenthood.

It truly is hard to believe that there are 30 days left until the stated due date, but another thing this pregnancy has taught me is that nothing is quite as it seems. So although there are 30 days left according to the doctor, this little Nugget can make an appearance any day now. The bag is packed, we have the car seat - that still needs to be installed, the nursery is ready, and now we wait. Wait...and wait some more.

FYI - We decided not to find out the gender of the baby, so I've been calling the baby, the Nugget (plus, that has been one of my favorite dining spots throughout the pregnancy - The Golden Nugget - AWESOME hash browns and grilled cheese sandwiches). I would like to take a moment and thank my husband for being so understanding in my wish for the gender to be a surprise. I know that he would have much rather preferred knowing what we will be having, so I appreciate the sacrifice he made.

While we wait, we thought it would be fun to capture this blessing, plus it will help pass the time.

Truth be told...I love being pregnant. LOVE IT!!! Every day there is something new that happens and I can't help but giggle - because most of these things are crazy. Today I will share with you my top 10 things I love about being pregnant...there are definitely more things I do love about pregnancy but those will probably surface in a later post.

Top 10 Things I Will Miss About Being Pregnant (in no particular order)

1. The ultrasounds - I love seeing the little Nugget. Funny thing happens in most of the ultrasounds - the Nugget is a mover and a shaker and the technician usually announces "You have a lively one in there..."
2. Hearing the heartbeat. WOW! Hearing the heartbeat makes the whole experience real. Of course I try to count the number of heartbeats to try to figure out if we are having a boy or a girl...
3. Feeling the Nugget tumble and kick. We are either having a gymnast, or a UFC fighter.
4. Feeling the hiccups. This makes me giggle...but many things in this pregnancy make me giggle - thank goodness.
5. Embracing the uncontrollable bodily noises. It is much easier to embrace the changes going on in my body then to fight it...
6. Embracing my body. Right now, my body looks like one of the Easter Island heads. I kid you not...
7. Warm baths.
8. Prenatal massages.
9. Ability to take longer naps, and not feel guilty. Before pregnancy, my naps would be 15 minutes, tops...now I can pull off at least an hour - solid sleep.
10. Eye contact with other expecting mothers. There is some bond that happens when you are pregnant and you pass another pregnant woman on the street. It is hard to explain but it is something like we say to each other "Hey, I know you are going to the bathroom every two minutes, too."

Thank you for reading...We truly hope you enjoy the days to come and feel the boon.