Time to Vent

I'm getting annoyed of hearing the following:

"How are you feeling?"

I know people care, it's nice to care, but when the same people ask me that several times a week and I give the same answer every single time, it gets old.

"See what you have to look forward to!"

Yes, I know what's coming, I chose to become a parent, and I do indeed look forward to it.

"Babies are harder than you think!"

No, they're really not. I don't expect a cute little angel. I know babies poop, I know babies cry, I know they need attention, love, 24/7 care, and I know you have to wake up with them several times during the night. I know I will have no time for me once the baby is born. I CHOSE that. I've had 23 years of "me" time, I'm ready to be a mom. I've never once thought babies are a piece of cake. 

"You're not even showing!" 

I'm not showing? None of my old pants fit, my belly is bulging and my face is rounding. So I just look fat then? Awesome.

I'm tired of being pregnant. I want the attention gone and I want this baby here!

Rant over.

Flat.

I hate being a grown up, you have to deal with things that you never even thought twice about as a kid. Bills that never end, cars that need fixing, and endless cleaning are such a bummer. 

Why did I ever want to grow up??

The other day I walked out to my car after my first job and started driving to my second one. I got about fifteen feet when I realized something just was not right. I got out of the car and found this: 

I stood there for a minute not knowing what to do, I had to be at work in half an hour! I considered attempting to change it myself, after all, how hard could it be? I then remembered that I had a pregnant belly and full bladder, so changing it myself would be near impossible. 

I called my work to let them know what was going on, and then I dialed the husband. He didn't answer, (of course because he had work for another 30 minutes,) so I left a very whiny sounding voicemail. Guys, I'm pregnant and everything makes me cry, so I was doing everything I could to keep myself from bawling. 

He got the message and was able to get off work a few minutes early so he could come to my rescue!

We got the tire off and figured out what the problem was.

A screw, a stupid little hunk of metal stuck in my tire caused so much more stress and inconvenience than a piece of metal ever should. 

Shane was able to successfully get the spare on and we both got to our second jobs safely, just about 45 minutes late. I am so incredibly grateful for a caring and loving husband who was willing to be late to his job to come save me. I'm not sure what I would have done without him!

Groceries!

Grocery shopping is almost therapeutic for me, it relieves my stress and really just makes me feel good. My favorite days are the days I get to go grocery shopping, but since we've been living with my parents for the past two months, I haven't gotten a chance to go in a while, (sad face.)

We move into our new place this Friday, and I am counting down the days to Saturday, (5 days!) the day I get to go grocery shopping! I'm extra excited for this trip because not only am I buying groceries for the next week, I'm stocking us back up on some basics and snack foods we need, since we have pretty much nothing right now.

I already made up my shopping list, (and it's a long one,) and planned our dinners for the next week, (one of our goals this year is to eat out less and make dinner more.) Our week's dinners are planned to be:

Sunday: We eat dinner at my mom and dad's house.

Monday: Grilled paninis and salad, (one of our favorites, we are very much obsessed with our panini maker!)

Tuesday: Black bean quesadillas and rice.

Wednesday: Homemade Chicken Cordon Bleu, baked potatoes, and veggies, (can't wait to attempt this one!)

Thursday: Leftovers, (super easy!)

Friday: Spaghetti with meatballs and veggies, (love me some carbs!)

Saturday: Pizza benders made with homemade dough, (I make amazing homemade bread. . .Ok, so it's my mom's recipe, but I'm really good at making it!)

I can't wait to get shopping, cooking, and eating!

All The Pregnant Ladies!

This is a good time to be pregnant! Not only because it's Winter so I don't have to get huge in the heat, but also because:

Our two friends we do the most with are both pregnant and due just a couple months before us, so we'll all have little babies at the same time!

My best friend growing up is pregnant and due just a month after me! She's also planning to move to Daybreak, (which is where we're moving next week,) so we'll live really close to each other and be able to go on walks together!

I know 19 other ladies on Facebook who are pregnant, (I'm not kidding, I keep track of who is and their due date on my phone. It's fun to know!) I'm able to follow all these other ladies and occasionally ask for advice.

It's fun being pregnant! (Besides the discomfort, pains, stress, hormones, exhaustion, hunger, gaining weight, etc. etc. etc.)

21 Weeks!

Saw this on a friend's blog and decided to steal the questions. . . .

How far along are you? 21 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: I don't weigh myself often, but last I checked, I'd gained about 10lbs. 
Maternity clothes? I still wear tops that aren't maternity, but I'm in my maternity pants and LOVING them!
Stretch marks? Nope.
Sleep: I don't. It blows.
Best moment this week: When I was lying down last night and she decided to move to the front so I could feel her.
Miss Anything?: Not having round ligament pain. The constant pain is super annoying.
Movement: A little. I still don't feel her kicking too much, but when I lie down at night I can tell something is going on in my belly.
Food cravings: I haven't had any cravings so far. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope, haven't been sick too much the entire pregnancy.
Have you started to show yet: A little bit, but I just look like I'm getting fat.
Gender: It's a little girl!
Labor Signs: Nope.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: I'm pretty moody, I have terrible road rage right now.
Looking forward to: The end of this pregnancy. I just want my baby. (Oh, and putting the nursery together!!)

Happy Monday!

No, not really. It's not a happy Monday. It's a holiday, but not an important enough holiday to get work off. . . at either job. Yay lucky me, I get to work not one, but two jobs today. Woooo. . . Poor Shane has to too, but he had to go in earlier than me AND he gets home later. Boo for being poor.

This man has walked by our office building twice now. He's a little creepy and seems out of it. His steps are short and slow, and it's almost as if he's in a daze. I hope he's ok and gets to where he's trying to go.

Shane and I went and took a look at our apartment to be last night, and we got so excited! Not only is it almost twice the size of our last apartment, but it doesn't look like it was made in the 70's, there are no stains on the floors, and we have our laundry room! Moving day cannot come soon enough!

I have a problem. I have two jobs that I don't like too much, but I LOVE the people I work with and especially my bosses at both. I have to quit one of them before baby Valarie is born, and I have an idea of which one I will be leaving, but I love both my bosses so much, I don't how to quit! I'm terrified to tell them I'm leaving! What do I do?!

I'm starting to be able to feel baby Val more, but usually it's when I'm lying down. I can't wait until I can feel all of her little movements! Oh and just so that you know, baby is currently the length of a banana! Mmmm, I like bananas! I want a smoothie.

My Changing Life

Pregnancy has changed my life in more ways than one!

Pregnancy has made me even more of a worrier than I usually am. I worry 24/7. I worry about if baby is doing ok, I worry about other drivers next to me while I'm driving, I worry about what I eat, how I sleep, what I listen to and how loud I listen to it, how much I lift, and how much sleep I get.

I was already an always tired person before getting pregnant, but now that my body is growing an adorable little baby, I am exhausted more than I ever have been. I have the most difficult time staying awake at my day job, and I just get so tired standing for longer than half an hour at my night job. I'm not even big yet! I am terrified for when this baby really starts to grow and how I'm going to feel then!

Round ligament pain seriously hurts! I am so nervous for labor, I get anxiety just thinking about it. I don't want the epidural because I really so much hate needles, but I know I'm going to have to most definitely get it. This girl just can't do natural, I need my drugs!

My poor husband. How he puts up with my emotions I will never know. I cry more than ever since getting pregnant, and really about the most ridiculous things! I'm so glad he's stuck with me, because if he weren't, my crazy might have driven him away by now.

I hate to say this, but I just don't like being pregnant. I am so thrilled about having a baby on the way, but those women who say they actually love being pregnant are nuts! Pregnancy is so worth it, but it's really hard! I don't like being restricted of things I can do, and I don't like the constant fear that something could go wrong. (A normal pregnancy without complications hardly exists in my family. I am just expecting bad. . . ) I have a whole new respect for pregnant women. If you haven't been through it, you don't know just how scary it can be! Pregnant women are simply amazing, (minus me because I'm just a big complainer with no pain tolerance.) How Michelle Duggar did it 19 times I will never know! That lady deserves an award!

Ikea Date!

With our moving date getting closer, we decided to go to Ikea and start looking for some items we are going to need in our new apartment. Of course you can't go to Ikea without making it a date, though! We got four hot dogs, two big drinks, and two bags of chips for only $5! Woo hoo for cheap dates!

We're going to be redecorating our bathroom in our new place, so we were able to pick out new towels and a few decorations, but we're still in need of a good shower curtain we like. (I'm just getting too picky about the curtain!)

The apartment has hardwood floors everywhere except for the bedrooms, so we looked at rugs for our family room. We found one we loved, but it was a little out of our price range, (I don't really want to spend $499 on a rug.) Luckily, we found one a lot like it for loads cheaper! I so can't wait to go back and buy it!

And our last stop was in the children's section . . . We found so many cute things that we wanted to buy right then and there, but were able to hold our dollars until we come back, (we just don't have room for anything else where we're at right now!) I am so excited to get her little silverware, little dishes, tiny chairs, and fun toys!

Ikea is pretty much my favorite place in the world. Overall it was a great date!

The Nursery!

So my birthday is right around the time that we move into our new place! So with money being just a little bit tight, (like my pants!) I decided the only thing I want for my birthday is to start the nursery! I already have all the furniture picked out and I know exactly how it will be arranged, I just can't wait to start decorating! Ahhhhh cute things!

We like love colors, (anyone who knows us knows this,) so we decided to theme the room around the bedding we picked out, (plus purple. Why the best color ever is not in this bedding I will never know. And her middle name is Violet, so it's only right to put purple in her room.)

We will also put some cute animals up here and there, just to adorable-ize it a bit. (I found a super cute rocking moose that I have to buy! It's the best I know it!)

I'm going to make some crafts for the walls of her room, and my mom is going to help me with the changing pad cover, (because I suck at sewing.) I'm so excited to get started!! It's only 3 weeks away until we move, but it's taking so long to get here! 

I'm going to make her name in wooden letters, (of course,) a mobile for the corner of the room, and some wooden picture frames that will have - wait, just wait until I'm done and then I'll show you! It will be so cute!!

Date is Set!

Tell me this, how do two people sleep through four alarms? Shane and I did. Luckily I woke up just in time to get to work on time, and Shane was only half an hour late. 

I had a healthy breakfast and lunch today, so I figured it would be ok to have a chocolate donut for a snack. It was delicious, and the baby even thanked me for it with a little kick!

We have our moving date set! February first we'll be getting into our new apartment. What an awesome birthday present for me! I am so excited, all I wanted for my birthday was this apartment, and even though it'll be a couple days late, it's a fantastic gift!

We get to see baby Val and make sure she has all ten fingers and toes on Thursday at our 20 week ultrasound! I am so excited, I love seeing her and knowing she's ok in there!

I can't stop yawning, I need more hours in the night so I can get more sleep!

Moving!

Shane and I are currently living with my parents. Our apartment's lease ended in November, and we decided to move into my brother's apartment once he moves out. He's not moving out until the beginning of February, so we're trying to save a little money by living with my parents in December and January.

I am so excited for the apartment we're moving into! 

Why? Well, here's why:

My parents bought a second house in Daybreak three (I think?) years ago, with plans of turning the basement into a separate apartment and then renting out the upstairs to single people. My brother moved in to manage the house. It started out with a house full of boys, and eventually became a house of ladies, with my brother living in the basement apartment. 

I moved into one of the upstairs bedrooms in 2010, and I loved it! It was a great way to be close to family, but also learn to be independent. It was a fun year and I loved living on my own! (I'm also glad I was able to do it before getting married.) I learned so much about budgeting, I'm pretty much a master at it now!

When Shane and I started dating I was living at this house. He came over every day, (I'm not kidding, we still haven't gone a day without seeing each other.) We would always do one of three things; sit on the porch swing and get to know each other better, go for walks around the lake, or watch a movie. 

Shane and I fell in love at that house and I cannot wait to move back into it! Not only is the basement apartment amazing and big enough for the family we're starting, but it's such a meaningful place full of amazing memories! 

I just can't wait to move into this house again!! I can't wait to start raising our daughter there, I can't wait to go for walks around the lake, and I can't wait to sit on the porch swing again! (This time it'll be our swing though, the swing Shane proposed to me on.) Awwwww!

She's Alive!

I am 90% sure that I felt baby move today.

Little fluttery feelings that don't feel like they could be anything else.

She's actually in there, she's growing in my belly.

I made a human!
(Well, Shane and I did!)

What a fantastic way to start the new year!

Ahhhh I love this baby so much it's ridiculously crazy!!

Goodbye 2012

Well the year 2012 is officially over, and it was a good one! We didn't do too many exciting things, but we had plenty of fun being newlyweds and figuring out our first year of marriage.

January

 We brought in the new year together!

We celebrated my birthday!

February

We had our first Valentine's together! Shane surprised me with an awesome dinner and a dance for two!

Shane got out his motorcycle and took it for the first ride of the year.

March

We got bikes!

(Mine is new, Shane's is newly painted.)

I quit my job.

The nieces slept over and we had a picnic with homemade pizza in the family room!

April

We celebrated Easter with baskets at home and then grandma's house for dinner!

Shane surprised me with a candy machine!

May

Shane got a makeover.

We went to the midnight showing of The Avengers!

Shane bought us a white Nissan Cube!

I reunited with an old friend and we learned our husbands have everything in common!

My favorite little dog and best friend when I lived at home died. 

(I still miss him like crazy!)

June

We went on the Mexican Riviera cruise with my family!

July

We celebrated Shane turning 25 years old with a surprise party!

August

I got a job as an office assistant.

September

We went to the State Fair.

Shane turned our family room into our bedroom and bedroom into our family room!

We found out we're expecting our first little baby!

October

We went to Frightmares at Lagoon with the family.

We got slurpees during the first snowfall of Winter!

We made caramel apples for Halloween!

November

Our lease ended at our apartment so we moved in with my parents until February when our new apartment will be ready for us.

December

We celebrated our first anniversary, (Shane surprised me with a weekend in Park City!)

We got rid of our nightmare truck!!

We went to the Zoo Lights!

We found out our baby is a girl!

We celebrated Christmas.

Here Comes 2013. . .

We brought in the new year by hanging out with my relatives who haven't been in town in six years! My adorable cousin Luke, Shane, and I built a snowman!