First Outfit

Well, the title is not exactly true - my friend Lisa gave me the first outfit for our baby right after she found out the news.  For some reason, I have been holding off on buying anything baby related.  We did buy the high chair Labor Day weekend, but that doesn't really count, especially since it won't be using it for the first couple of months.

Today I had lunch with my friend Jessie, and afterward I decided to do a little bit of shopping.  It was so much fun looking at all the little clothes, I just couldn't resist making a purchase!

I will admit, it's a little more challenging to find gender neutral outfits.  In a way it's annoying, because I know we aren't the only ones who are not finding out the sex of the baby.  And really - if you do have a boy or a girl, do you only want blue or pink stuff?  Anyhow - it didn't stop my excitement or from me buying something.

After I got home, I showed them to Sammy for inspection.  I explained that they were for the baby.  He sniffed and then he sat patiently, waiting for a treat.

Vikings Game and Pictures

Today Uncas and I went to the Vikings home opener for the season.  This was his anniversary present and it did not disappoint!  A last second touchdown throw by Favre to win the game - amazing!  I even took a few pictures.

Uncas and I at the game.

Favre walking onto the field.

These flag runners crack me up!  I want their job.  Whenever the Vikings score, they come running out!

Final Score 27-24 - Vikings Win!

This weekend also marks my 17th week!  I finally took some more belly pictures.  I am definitely starting to show, but not a ton.

 

And finally - because I haven't posted any pictures recently of my first "baby" - I will leave you with a cute Sammy picture.  It's actually Daddy and Sammy taking a nap a couple of weeks ago.

16 Weeks and Appointment with Midwife

This week I am in my 16th week of pregnancy!  Yesterday we had our first "centering pregnancy" appointment.  We are going the midwife route and the clinic that I go to offers this neat option of having "group" appointments throughout your pregnancy. 

Each appointment is 2 hours and you meet privately with the midwife while she checks you and listens for the baby's heartbeat and then we meet as a big group to discuss different topics.  They have snacks available too!

There are several cool things about doing this.  First, we are able to meet a bunch of different people who are all due around the same time as us (they group you by due date).  There are 12 mom's in our group.  Most of them are first time mom's, but for one woman, it's her 6th child!  Another benefit is that we cover different topics each week including, nutrition, breastfeeding, labor and delivery, and caring for a newborn, so it eliminates the need to take other classes.  And even though each appointment is 2 hours, they start and end on time, so there isn't any sitting around because the clinic is running late. 

Currently we have them once a month, but starting in the December they increase to twice a month.  I definitely think this is a good way to go for our first child.  We have already met some really nice people in the class.

As for me, I am doing just fine.  So far I have only gained about 9 lbs and for the most part I can still fit into my normal clothes.  I think that is definitely going to change in the next two weeks.  We heard the little heart beating again, nice and strong yesterday, so that is always reassuring.  Today I scheduled our 20 week ultrasound for October 15th. And even though we aren't going to find out the sex of the baby, we am still really excited to see Little Nimzlet again and see how much it's grown since the last ultrasound.  So - all in all, everything is moving along just fine.

Random

Last week flew by for me! What a difference it makes when you get up in the morning and no longer dread going to a place for 8 hours a day. It has certainly made me a much happier person. Here are some random things from the past week:

• I made a friend in one of my classes! I probably shouldn't be so surprised, however considering the make-up of my classes, I wasn't really thinking it would be likely this semester. I met a wonderful woman, close to my age, married with children who is finishing up her bachelors. She is super nice and it's fun to have a familiar face in class.
• I actually finished my first paper and it's not due until Tuesday!
• I don't mind doing homework or studying. I can't believe I am typing those words, but it's true.
  
• Where is this burst of energy that I am suppose to feel in the 2nd trimester? It hasn't seem to come this way just yet. Naps are still an essential element of my day.
• Who knew that no rain for 2 weeks would make taking out window air-conditioner units so easy (and a lot less messy!)
• I planted some iris and lily bulbs today that my friend Janis graciously gave me last week. Sammy was very interested in what I was doing, of course. Unfortunately, he seems to think that the bulbs are similar to sticks and branches. That means he likes to run off with them and chew them up. It's been a trying afternoon for all of us and resulted in him coming inside more than once, which he hates. But I think he understands now that he can't eat them. Also, Reid and I sprayed the bulbs with applebitter, so I think that might further deter Sammy. Only time will tell if I actually end up with flowers next year.

An Open Letter

Dear Squirrels in My Neighborhood,

I understand that it's that time of year when you need to collect and store up nuts and such for the winter.  I would like to warn of you a little creature that lives in my house.  He is a little dog named Sammy, and he likes to chase squirrels around and around and out of the yard.  It might be more productive for your collecting and gathering, if you would stay out of our yard.  I do believe that one of these days, a poor little squirrel will be caught by Sammy and can't say that I will be shocked or saddened by the event.  Consider this your warning.  Happy Fall to you!

Sincerely,

Sammy's Mom

Reflections on My First Week of School

I made it through the first week of classes!  Overall, I would have to say I think this semester is going to be ok.  There is definitely a bit of an adjustment to take in, like remembering what homework is, but for the most part, I think I will make it.  It does help that I am taking a really light load, but after working 10 years in the real world and now I am suddenly back to student mode - something that I never thought I would go back to.  I don't know how people work full time and go to school and still have a life?!

Here are some thoughts/observations from my first week:

1. It's a little lonely.  The classes that I am taking are undergraduate prerequisites, so I am sitting with a lot of younger people.  The lectures are huge, so I don't anticipate becoming close friends with people.  After working at places where I have met some of my closest friends, it does seem strange to go to class and not talk to anyone.  Good thing I have my cute little puppy dog to come home to - he is always excited to see me!
   
2.  I am amazed at the patience that my professors have.  Let's be honest, there is such a thing as dumb questions, especially when they have already been answered, or the answers are on the syllabus and we have been told that they are on the syllabus (repeadly).  There are so people that truly love working with college students.  I am not one of those people, which is why I want to work with the little, little kids - that's where I have patience.
3. After sitting through awful (and we are talking awful) 2 hour staff meetings, pointless webinars and non-productive meetings, 50 minute and 90 minute lectures are a piece of cake!  In fact, time goes by so quickly, I could seriously sit there for longer. I am pretty sure I didn't feel this way when I first went to college. 
   
4. I forgot how much walking you do when you are in college. The college campuses I previously went to were a quarter of the size of the U.  I expect that I will be getting back into better shape seeing as how this summer I haven't done much exercising (baby's fault, of course!)
5. My first order of business, sometimes before even locating my classrooms, is to find the closest bathroom in the building.  I honestly don't remember ever caring about that when I was in college before, but now I find that it's a necessity.
6. Have I mentioned that I have a really supportive husband?!  He is truly amazing and if it weren't for him, I doubt I would be going back to school in the first place!

I am sure that I have more to say, but my cute little puppy dog that is so happy to see me would like to go for a walk.   And walking the dog sure beats cleaning up the mess he makes when he chews up his bed!

Someone was busy today . . .

 

While I was sitting attentively in class today, my darling puppy Sammy was busy destroying his dog bed.  He has had so many dog beds in just over the year he has been with us, I have lost count.  The fun part about this is he actually unzips the outer part and tears apart the insides.  I now have to wake up the sleeping puppy (apparently chewing up a bed is hard work), so we can go get a new one that he won't have access to while we are gone!

In other news - my first day of school went just fine.  I spent this afternoon doing my reading already for Thursday.  So far - so good!

Labor Day Weekend 2009

This weekend my parents came up to visit us.  We had a fabulous time, as always and there were many, many laughs shared as well.  It was a great distraction to keep my mind off of my first week back at school.

To start the weekend off, on Friday night we celebrated my mom's birthday which was really on August 24.  I made my mom her favorite kind of cake - carrot cake.

 

Saturday we headed over to Fort Snelling State Park.  It's super close to our house and until this summer, we had never been there before.  We enjoyed hiking a few trails and we even hiked up to the Fort.  Here are some pictures from our day there.

That night we went out to the 5/8's Club to enjoy some Jucy Lucy's - yum!  Sunday was a little less physically demanding (i.e. no hiking).  Instead we went to Mall of America where my dad  purchased a new computer (Mac Mini) and I also snagged some clearance maternity clothes at Sears.  Reid helped my dad get stuff set up on his new computer when we got home from the mall.

My mom and I kept busy in the afternoon by washed down a high chair that we had purchased the day before at a garage sale for $10!  It's in great condition and while we won't need it for several more months, it was actually my very first purchase for the baby. 

Later in the day we went and played mini golf at the local park.  Reid won and we all agreed that it was a fun course.  We came home and grilled out.  Later that night we played some Yahtzee and laughed, a lot.

My parents left this morning and pretty much we have spent most of the day relaxing.  I think the weekend wore me out, but I really enjoyed having my parents come stay with us.  And the long weekend was an extra bonus.

Tomorrow is my first day of school in almost 10 years.  Fortunately this semester I will only be taking two classes, so I can ease into things.  I am nervous, but excited for tomorrow.

It's Never Too Early . . .

 . . . to plan for Halloween, right?  Well, surprisingly, I am not a big Halloween person.  I can't remember the last time I dressed up for it.  But today while I was shopping at Target, I saw this and just had to get it for Sammy!

 

 

He's going to be a little hot dog!  I put this on him when I got home and he was a little hyper to say the least.  Here is another picture of him barking at me!

 

Last year Sammy had surgery the day before Halloween, so we spared him getting dressed up!  I can't wait for the little trick or treaters to come by this year!  We are all set!!!