Absolutely hysterical

I have subscribed to this one lady's blog who is due in September...and she wrote a blog today that absolutely cracked me up.

Thought I'd share it with you.  I forwarded this to a friend from work and to Jason asking them if this is what was coming...ENJOY!

by Sabrina Garibian posted in Mom Stories The 3 way pendulum. I hear the key wiggling in the doorknob and immediately rush toward the door. My husband, who I adore and love to just pieces, is home. I give him the biggest hug I can manage with this bowling ball belly, a nice sloppy kiss, and smile until my face hurts. I love my life. Ten minutes later I’m rummaging through the fridge for our dinner ingredients, and I’m angry. I’m so angry that my head is about to explode in 1,000 pieces, each piece erupting in flames. I forgot to buy milk, and since I can’t eat my breakfast without milk for my (decaf) iced coffee I will have to run out first thing in the morning. I’m extra rough with the cabinets and pans as I make dinner, and I notice my husband slowly creeping to the living room and out of the line of fire. And then later I am watching an old episode of Charmed as my husband’s phone rings. He steps away to answer it, and by the time he returns I am sobbing. Phoebe just had to vanquish Cole, and she is devastated. I feel her devastation and can’t stop crying, even though I realize how ridiculous it is. I think I am finally experiencing pregnancy mood swings, and it isn’t a pretty sight. Can anyone relate to this madness? It’s like I am having an out of body experience with the extreme moods over here.

Random thoughts

Today I made a realization about the way I look at certain things.

In the realm of working out, I'm truly un-motivated to do so if my goal is weight loss (or otherwise body improvement).

The past three days have had me feeling completely exhausted.  Like unreasonably so...well, maybe not unreasonably for someone growing a little human, but otherwise, COME ON!  How much sleep does a person need already?

In that way, I'm looking forward to the second trimester...but not to rush things along.  We need as much time as possible to prepare.

What was I talking about?

Oh yes...apparently, getting pregnant creates a collander out of your brain.  Only some things stick, everything else simply washes through.  It's an odd and sometimes frustrating sensation.

Oh yes, on working out.  So, I haven't worked out at all the past three days.  Yesterday I took Lucy on a fairly long walk with me to get my nails done in the evening, but since her walk-speed is so slow (it's practically backwards), I wouldn't consider that much exercise.




Lucy...thinking of walking



This evening I went down to the gym...more because I hadn't done anything, than because I wanted to.  After walking on a 7% incline on the treadmill for 20 minutes, I proceeded to do weight lifting - chest, back, legs, biceps and triceps.  Then I climbed the 16 floors to my condo, and took Lucy for another "speed" walk.  Speed = 1.0 MPH (if that).

 

Lucy...doing her favorite thing.  Chillin' like a greyhound Villain!


While working out, I was appreciating that I was doing something that was healthy for my body, that was making my body solid and strong, both for every day and for the time when I'll be bringing that little human into the world.

When I've done Bikram Yoga (which I loved and hated all at the same time), the thing that made me love it was that I felt like I had done something really healthy for myself...almost like a gift.  Kinda weird! 

Anyway, that's all for now.  Just some random ramblings to document what's going on in this noodle of mine.

Peace out.

This week's goings on...

This has been a busy week so far.  In the past two days, we've interviewed three midwives.  We're eight weeks along and our baby is the size of a kidney bean.

It's funny...when we originally started researching, I came across this woman who kept showing up first and although she was clearly qualified, she seemed a little "hippy" for my tastes based on what she looked like.

Well, there's my reminder about judging a book by its cover, however she wasn't any different than what I thought...but interestingly enough, she turned out to be our first choice.

Here's a link to our new midwife's page: http://www.sandiegohomebirth.com/

That was a time consuming process and it wasn't an easy decision, but we're glad that part is done, so we can get back to life.

So what is gonig on with the Kennedy's right now?

Yesterday Jason started a juice fast.  He's completed day 2...and not feeling so hot (which apparently is right on par).  I'm also participating by juicing, but not fasting.  Trying to eat way more fruits and veggies and not eating out at all is my way of supporting Jason through his fast.  We're both suffering in our own special way:

Jason...from not eating
Stacy...from having to eat vegetables (vile weeds!!)  - LOL

Over the weekend, I had my first meetup group with Active and Happy Pregos.  I met two other women (Stephanie and Rachel) at a nice outdoor restaurant in Solano Beach.  We hung out, ate lunch, talked all about everything pregnancy and got to know each other.  Afterward, Rachel and I went for an hour long walk along PCH and down the beach...it was a good workout...she can walk fast!

The last two days I haven't done any gym exercise...my energy level has just been low and I wasn't feeling too good.  Probably those evil vegetables confusing my system.  My guts want pepperoni pizza - not spinach, cucumber, celery, chard, etc.  Oh gag...just the thought triggers my gag reflex.

Things feel particularly busy right now.  I am meeting a friend from Boston for lunch tomorrow in Del Mar and will be speaking at the Orange County Investors Club on Friday.  On top of that, things are extremely busy at Morrison & Company with having three VAPG grants all coming due at the same time...plus another client I set up on Quickbooks.  I'm trying to just do my best to get through this week.  Jason will leave Sunday on a business trip, so hopefully I can play some catchup that day.

Not much time to focus on what's going on inside.  Once August 29th comes and goes, things should slow down a bit.

Until...I'll do my best to keep you updated!

Nauseated...and Inspired

I love working from home...or working from wherever my computer is. 

Today I decided after a few hours in the home office, to venture out to one of my "satellite offices".  I settled on Oggi's Restaurant...nice wide tables and handy dandy power plugs.

I was feeling a little crampy this morning...but nothing horrible.  As soon as my lunch arrived and I put the first bite of salad in my mouth, I started feeling nauseas.  Lovely!  So it took me like 20 minutes to eat a small salad, while my flatbread pizza just sat....looking at me....feeling rejected and alone.  Luckily the pepperonis could at least visit with each other.

I guess on one hand, the nausea is great for appetite control...but seriously, I'd rather do without it.

On another note, feeling newly inspired by watching some of the videos of people doing juice fasts and feeling so good, I'm making conscious efforts to try to get more fruits and veggies down the hatch.  Last night around midnight I felt like I was starving...and had July 20th victory #1 - ate a plum.

This morning I had a protein shake with just a scoop of vanilla protein with a packet of Emergen-C.  Two fold benefits...makes the protein shake taste good and gives me a ton of vitamin C.  Yeah!

Later I was hungry again and had yogurt...and still being inspired by Fat, Sick & Almost Dead's facebook page (which I totally love...and highly recommend checking out) and seeing everyone's posts about what day they're on, what their victories are, what their challenges are, what new concoctions they're trying, etc...I chopped up a peach, banana and some blueberries and mixed it in.  I was so proud!  Victory #2

Hey...considering what I really want to eat is pepperoni pizza, pop tarts, red licorice and jelly bellies, we're talking some serious victory there!

Around noon, my stomach was grumbling.  I broke into the bag of oranges Jason picked up at the dollar store.  Okay, they're a little tart...but nothing a little sprinkle of Stevia can't cure.  We have seriously KICK BOOTY dollar stores here!  Victory #3

THEN...I had a salad with lunch!  Can you believe it???  Victory #4

Okay, I DID have pizza, BUT I only had them put pepperoni on half and I got a flatbread pizza...and naturally made several napkins completely nasty and disgusting by using them to soak up any possible oil from the pizza.  Overall, I was pleased.  Victory # 4.25 (we'll just count that as a quarter victory)

My plan for this evening is to put on my rolly polly (or is it roley poley?) Skechers and spend an hour or so walking along the harbor, through SeaPort Village to the convention center.  Today is the first day of the famed ComicCon, so I'm thinking it should be entertaining!

Oh...one more cool bit of news.  I found a meetup group called Active & Happy Pregos, so soon I'll get to start meeting other local ladies and making friends here...that will be a nice addition.  It's not always easy working by yourself at home.  I have co-workers, but they're all up in Chico.  Saturday, I go to my first meetup - frozen yogurt and shopping.  How can I go wrong there?  I'm totally looking forward to it!

I think I'll have my first midwife interview on Friday.  I was really hoping Jason would be involved with the midwife interview process, but our schedules are as conflicted as schedules can be over the next two weeks, leaving only two days that we're both available.  So, I'm going to interview a few alone and then we'll team up and make our choice.  Looking forward to my first actual appointment!

Lots going on...okay, gotta get back to it!  This is "busy season" for Morrison & Co...so, giddyup!

A message to the baby-daddy & healthy talk

Jason's on the road and I thought I would pass along a message...so I sent him the following picture with message attached:



He got a kick out of it.  Hmm...that is REALLY not attractive.  Oh well...I'm sure there will be far more of that in the future.  I'm looking now and noticing the waist.  Oh yes, SpongeBob SquareWaist.  Well waist, maybe I'll see you sometime next year.

Website  Movie Trailer

Recently Jason and I watched a documentary called "Fat, Sick and Almost Dead" on Netflix (I love Netflix by the way!!).  It was about a guy from Australia that was in his mid-forties, had become very overweight and had some kind of rare skin disease.

He was on like 15 medications and hated it.  I'm not sure what finally snapped in him, but he made the decision to change his life and get healthy and decided on a juice fast to kick start it.  A sixty day juice fast!  OMG!!!!  He decided to create a documentary of his journey.

Anyway, he came to the states and spent a month in New York, then went on the road.  All he "ate" was juice he made with fresh fruits and vegetables and his juicer.  He had a little rig in his station wagon so he could plug it in and share the juice with people on the road that he met.

It looked like the first several days were pretty awful...the feeling of hunger, headaches, just overall feeling like total crapola as his body processed all the toxins that were stored up.  After that he started feeling good - then great.

The documentary showed his journey - he lost a ton of weight and got much healthier (according to all the vitals and tests taken before and after by his doctor's office).  After 60 days he went off the fast, but made the decision that he wanted health for life, so he kept eating well, juicing daily, exercising, etc.  He was living a new life...it was really inspirational.  I put a link to the website and trailer if you want to look at what we were looking at.

Anyway, Jason decided that he's going to do a 30 day juice fast beginning the day after he returns from Florida to get his body as healthy as possible for when little Cody or Savannah arrives.  I am in admiration - that is going to be a challenge (probably more mentally than physically).  I committed to joining him in juicing (although not in fasting) to be supportive and to keep myself in the best possible health for our little bun in the oven.

So we bought a juicing book last weekend and I must say...I was seriously shocked at how good some of the recipes looked!  I'm actually looking forward to when the juicer arrives and we can start making concoctions!

For now I've been trying to make sure to get a bunch of fruits and veggies each day.  One of the ways I do that is by making my "green shake".  It actually tastes really good (and anyone who knows me know how SHOCKING it is for me to say that...historically veggies have been "vile weeds" in my book).

But, not it's not just about me.  Have to keep my little growing bundle all nutritioned-up (I think I just made that up).  In talking to my dad on the phone tonight, he asked me for the recipe for my green shake and I sent it to him...so I thought I'd share it here too, in case anyone else wants to try it:

¾ cup water

1 ½ cups spinach

½ avocado

Large chunk of tomato (I take the seeds out because I don’t like the texture)

1 lime (peeled)

½ cucumber

1 scoop protein

3-4 packets of stevia (you can experiment based on your sweetness factor)

8-9 ice cubes

Directions:

Add spinach to water and blend until all chunks are gone

Add other veggies & blend til smooth

Add protein & stevia and blend til mixed

Add ice cubes and blend until chunks are gone

Okay, that's all for now...just wanted to share that little tid-bit.  Here's to your health!

"On the Boob"

I had a funny conversation this morning with my property manager in Detroit.  He was calling to update me on the status of our rent for the month and had heard that we're expecting and congratulated me.

He then went on to entertain me about all the ways I'd be torturing Jason when the kiddo arrives.  He was talking about breast-feeding and how the kid will pretty much be latched "onto the boob" all the time.

He went on to explain that Jason should be prepared for such maddening requests as:

"Honey...I know my water is only one foot away, but can you please get it for me?"

Eric assures me I WILL be asking...because the baby will be "on the boob" and asleep, and I won't want to wake him/her up.

Another maddening request, explains Eric, will be when Jason sits down on the couch next to me and the moment he sits down, I'll suddenly remember something I needed.

I was seriously cracking up.  Eric has a toddler at home with a baby on the way (due at the end of the month).  I told him he should write a book...it would be hysterical.

Thank you, Eric Novack for giving Jason and I something to laugh about today!  I'm glad to know you - and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

At Home...Jason Away

Apparently this is a slow time in the seminar business as Jason has been home since the beginning of June, with the exception of one weekend in Las Vegas with Bob Leonetti & DeAnna Rogers.

I was up in Chico working at Sunsweet when Jason got called to Vegas, so I when I was done with my consulting work for the week, I re-directed my flight to Vegas to spend the weekend with Jason and meet Bob & DeAnna who I had spoken with several times on the phone.

Jason and I made an interesting realization last night (a pretty specific one) about Vegas...but he said he'd blog about it, so I'll leave that to him.

Anyway, Jason has been home since then until getting called yesterday to head to Orange County and Hollywood for two days.  He'll be home for one day, then will be off to mastermind with some new business associates and partner in the Florida Keys.  That should be a cool and productive week and I'm really glad for him.

So, today was the first day I've been home when he hasn't been in town...I kind of got used to him being here and I liked it.  On the other hand, I definitely get way more done when he's traveling because we enjoy each others' company when he's home and we hang out and visit.

Anyway, it just occured to me that I'm probably going to go through a lot of this pregnancy with Jason on the road.  Not sure how I feel about it.  In general, I don't mind being home alone...I get to watch movies like Twilight and Mama Mia, but I do like it when he's here.

Oh well...I'm appreciative that he's doing what is necessary to become the sole provider for our family.  Not that I won't work post-baby, but I realize that my assumption that I'd always work full time is not necessarily going to be my desire by then...so now it's up to Jason to take care of everything financially.  I know that means he has to be on the road sometimes to do that.  It's all good.

Just appreciating him and will have to really appreciate the times when he's at home.

Psycho Pregnant Lady

So apparently the "hormones" side of this pregnancy thing have decided to show themselves.

Tonight at the gym, I needed the ten pound weights. 

They were not available...being used.  Okay, fine.  I could do twelve pounds and just work a little harder.  Again, unavailable...being used.

Blood pressure rising.

No problem, I'll just wait for the girl with the ten pound weights to finish her set...then ask if I can work in.  But apparently, unlike everyone else who thinks a normal set is twelve reps, apparently she thinks a set is five thousand four hundred and eighty seven reps.

I turned to Jason and said...I think my psycho side is about to come out.

His response, "See...this is why I hate coming to the gym at night."

You can send cards and flowers to the San Diego Municipal Hospital, room 300 c/o Jason Kennedy.

Hahahahaha!!!  Sort of.

Sponge Bob Square Waist

Every day I look in the mirror at my torso and notice that I'm looking more like SpongeBob Square Pants.

Interestingly enough, that was one of the things that made me suspect I was pregnant. 

Now, I don't know if you're supposed to "lose your waist" this early on, but the fact that I was two weeks into BeachBody's Insanity workout (hard core cardio six days a week) and not seeing the usual shrinking of the waist...and just the opposite...seemed to be getting wider, had me scratching my head.

This morning I did my normal visual look at the mirror and yes, my waist is just gone.  I look like a square.  Except for my hips and thighs of course, they're still swinging out there in all their "voluptuous" glory.

I know my focus for working out will have to change from trying to actually look good...to being healthy and strong for the birth and recovery.  But it WOULD be nice to look good too!

Working part time?

Hmm...while working at one of my favorite "office" locations today (Pizza Port in Ocean Beach), I saw a new mom with a seven week old baby sitting and visiting with her two girlfriends, one of which looked to be about six or seven months pregnant.

Immediately I realized that my "intention" of working full time always is quite possibly a thing of the past.  I also got an email from a former student of mine who had a baby ten months ago and although she absolutely loves her baby (of course), she definitely gave me some realities about the time consuming part of it that no one shared with her and she's struggled with as a result.

I'm glad we have plenty of time...and I trust that God's timing is perfect...and that help us create a situation where I can actually spend a reasonable amount of time with our new little french fry.

Sigh...

Oh yah, I read that it's possible (likely?) I could gain three cup sizes (as in bra) over the nine months.  I already feel like I'm busting out of the seams...fun for scoop neck blouses...not fun while exercising! hahaha

6 weeks...a lentil?

So I'm getting these emails from some baby website and based on the date of last period, and all that other really delightful stuff, I'm getting timely emails.

Today's email was about what the baby looks like at 6 weeks:

What the heck is that?

Well, according to the email, little Cody (or Savannah) has the following:
 - nose, mouth and ears are starting to take shape
 - arms and legs are protruding buds
 - heart is beating 100-160 times per minute
 - intestines are developing
 - pituitary gland is forming, along with brain, muscles and bones
 - right now, he is about 1/4 inch long...the size of a lentil

It also goes on to say that I may be developing split personalities from the hormones.  Hmm...perhaps.  But if so, it's to a very minor degree so far.  I guess Jason can comment on this if I'm off base.

I have noticed that my memory is complete crap.  I've lost my keys twice and cell phone four times in the past week.  Seriously?

Well, that's the update for now.  Back to work!

Will you make up your mind already?

Shockingly enough, I actually was awake until 2am last night...and woke up at 8am on my own.

Not the typical lately.

I was feeling good this morning.  Blogged.  Made a veggie shake for breakfast (can you believe it?).  Made Jason coffee.  Overall, a good productive morning.

It was really beautiful outside and I needed to take Lucy out to the park, so I decided to bring my legs and abs workout to the park with me and Lucy could just play while I worked out there.

I did about 80% of the workout...and they're pretty long, so I felt okay about cutting it off early.  I was hot and not feeling that fabulous anymore. I accomplished a good amount and Lucy and I came home.

Grabbed a peach that I bought at the farmers market yesterday (yummmmm!!)...ate it.  Then I REALLY started feeling like crapola.

I don't know if nauseas was the word.  I just felt like crap. 

I came over to the couch where Jason was sitting, working on his computer, pulled a blanket over me and moaned in misery a few times (just to make sure Jason appreciated it was ME carrying this little dude around with me...hahaha...just kidding...well, sort  of).

I felt so awful so fast.  I ended up falling to sleep...and a super deep sleep, only to wake up to go to the bathroom, walk back to the couch and seconds later be in a coma deep sleep.

I woke up and crashed back out four times...all just as fast. 

Had a weird dream about two of my back teeth falling out...WHAT THE HECK?  Oh yah and part of my tongue fell off.  What the hell is going on here?  That is some seriously whacked out dreams.

Anyway, I think this coma-waking-coma marathon went on for about two hours before I finally woke up starving...but with no appetite.  That was a new one.  Oftentimes I have a huge appetite regardless of whether I'm hungry or not. 

Jason offered to make me something, but I figured I'll take him up on those offers later when I have a giant belly and really can't get up very well.

It has occured to me that at only FIVE FEET TALL, I'm going to be a frightening site to see when I'm further along!  I'll probably stick as far out as I am tall.

This lady is probably like 5'8" and look at her!  Oh the horror!!!  Try putting just as much baby in a much shorter frame!  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!  Oh...I just can't wait for that!

What was I talking about?  I got distracted.

Oh yah...anyway, I didn't feel great the rest of the afternoon, but slowly but surely I improved and now I feel fine again.

Seriously, my body can't make up it's mind.  I guess I should be glad.  If it made up it's mind to be sick all the time, I'd REALLY be in trouble.  I can't work or read or ANYTHING when I'm feeling like that.

All I can do is lay around and moan for effect.  Oh yah, and sleep.  Oh, and pee.

Yes...this is an adventure.

Interesting Realization

Last night Jason went out with some friends and I came home, ate some frozen yogurt and started flipping through NetFlix.

I found a documentary called Pregnant in America...and it looked interesting based on the description, so the cats, the dog, the embryo and I cozied up to watch it.

On the matter of WHAT KIND of birth...
Similar to the documentary Jason and I watched last week (called the Business of Being Born...and it was really good), this movie was very much biased toward non-hospital birth.

Interestingly enough, last Saturday night, when I got the first positive stick (which of course I didn't believe entirely) I started doing some research because...

...oh crap, we don't have maternity coverage in our insurance!  That's what happens when you're self employed - you have fabulous insurance if you're insuring against catastrophe, but if you just want good old fashioned solid coverage, the price is just out of the realm of reasonable.

No problem.  Thank God for google!

So I googled my issue and started learning more about non-traditional options that were more reasonably priced - one of which is home birth with a mid-wife.

Now, anyone who has ever had a baby conversation with me knows I've maintained since 16 years old that if I ever got pregnant, I'd demand an epideral the moment I found out.  I'm pretty much as sissy as sissies get when it comes to pain or discomfort, but now I had to be realistic about things and figure out options.

Anyway, after watching the first documentary and doing other research and discussing in depth, Jason and I decided that our choice is to do a water birth at home with a mid wife.  Now...the interesting part is that we live in a 900 square foot condo on the 16th floor of downtown San Diego.

Jason asked where we'd put the pool-tub-thingy-magiggy.  I guess the living room in front of the giant picture window.  As I'm sitting here now looking at it, it kind of cracks me up thinking that I could be going through labor floating about in a pool looking down 16 stories.  It will make a good story, anyway!

We found a mid-wife online that we like so far (based on what we've read).  Now it's time to make an appointment and see if she's a match for us.

On the matter of SOMETHING ELSE I got from the movie...
The documentary was definitely about the choice to have a natural childbirth and the options, however I picked up something else that struck me.

At one point the husband (movie maker) was filming his wife having a bit of a breakdown emotionally (I guess that's not unheard of during pregnancy - wink wink).  She was fearing that time was moving so fast and she didn't feel prepared.  I don't think she was even that close to giving birth, but she was realizing that after all this pregnancy-stuff there was actually going to be a little human being to deal with, that was completely reliant on them to know what to do.  She was seriously freaking out.

What I found interesting was that, although I'm not freaking out, it occured to me that I really can't see past just being pregnant and all that THAT entails.  I mean, I know cognitively that there is a little human who will arrive at the end, but right now I think I'm all consumed with just the pregnancy part.

I guess it's a process...and we're very early in it, so I have time to "get there" in my head, but it definitely got my attention.  Oh yes, there's something beyond the pregnancy...something beyond this exhaustion, cramps, bloating, etc.

Oh, I have so much more to write.  I think having a blog to get it all out is going to be a good thing!

But I'll cut it off for now.

I'm headed to the gym to do the legs workout I was supposed to do Friday (too tired), then yesterday (didn't get home until late).  I want to make sure I don't lose the habit...so off I go to get buff legs like these (hahahaha):

Have an awesome day!

The Kennedy's Next Adventure

Until last Saturday night, the Kennedy's were two people and three animals: Jason Kennedy (man of the house), Stacy Kennedy (woman of the house), Lucy Kennedy (dog-child), Debbie Kennedy (cat-child) and Willy Kennedy (cat-child).

We've been married for just over 12 years, having tied the knot March 27, 1999.  For most of our married life, we had no interest in kids.  We had careers, businesses, business explosions, business failures, a bankruptcy, incredible opportunities and a ton of learning and personal growth.  Who on earth had time for kids??!!!

Last December, we decided that if we were going to have kids (and neither of us were convinced this was something we actually wanted to do), considering we were both 36 years old...we should probably not wait too much longer.  But we still weren't convinced, so we decided to just turn the decision over to God (brilliant, I know!)...and stop trying to prevent having kids.

We didn't really feel like there was a high liklihood considering I'd been on "the pill" for 18 years and we certainly weren't "trying" by timing monthly cycles or any of that business.

So, we nearly choked on our shock when, combined with being a few days late, I was having some "possible symptoms" and decided to visit the local Rite Aid for a "value pack" of pregnancy pee-sticks.



Well, we really couldn't believe it the first time...and heck, it WAS a value pack after all.  We decided to see what the second stick said.  I'll be darned...it said the same thing.  Well, we bought three sticks - the first two were probably defective...

And thus there were three sticks, all showing the same result.  Two lines...pregnant.

Say what?

How did this happen?

Oh yeah.  But seriously?  We're the Kennedy's...12 years just us.  What is this baby stuff?

We don't even know what the heck a baby needs!

So, it's been a week...and although the shock is definitely still a major part of our lives, we're slowly but surely learning about baby stuff.

So, this is the book that will be our "baby bible". I'll tell you - there is some crazy stuff in there!  This pregnancy stuff is insane!  But we're in it and we're ready for the journey ahead.

So, the Kennedy's having done so many other things in life, are taking on the one major life adventure we haven't yet broached...the Kennedy's have engaged on The Final Frontier!

Until next post...

Stacy Kennedy