Scott or Josh Beckett

Here's my husband...



Here's former Marlins pitcher and now Red Sox pitcher, Josh Beckett (two photos so that you can get a good look at him)




Separated at birth????

Fun times...

Caught some great photos this weekend. Maggie has started softball and Scott was working with her on her batting since it's her first season. He's such an amazing dad - LOVE that man. Can't remember life before him - of course, we were so young when we met anyway. But - LOVED this photo of him showing her how to hold her bat. He's a hottie!



Here she is in her full batting stance. What's cool is she can bat left or right handed just like her mom! :)



Of course, it's not a blog post without a photo of our precious little peanut!

Favorite Photos

This is why Barb Hogan rocks! Besides being one of my best friends, she takes the most amazing photos! Here are two of my favorites from a recent photo shoot.





Can't wait to scrap these!

Got some cute stuff!

At the Old Navy. I should sign over my paychecks to that place and Gap. Maggie LOVES their polo dresses and I love their baby clothes, plus their 0-3 month sizes are about the only thing that fits my little peanut right now.

I got this set of t-shirts for Addison - LOVE them. I can't wait to take her photos in each one. They're so freakin' cute!



I also got her one that says "Cranky but Cute". I need to get her one that says "I keep my mommy up all night". Ha!

I gave birth to her...I swear

Here is Addison's newborn photo next to Scott's. Let's just say that she has absolutely NONE of my attributes and looks EXACTLY like her daddy. (Good thing is that she didn't inherit my double-chin or pug nose!)

However, Maggie is me made over. I guess it's fair that we each get one that looks like us. I told Scott we should have a third and see who "wins" the genetic warfare. LOL!

No wonder he's a beamin' daddy!

Me and Addie

Got my Mac Book Pro at home. LOVE the photobooth on there. :)

Here's Miss Addison at 13 days old. She's now 2 weeks today. :( Where does the time go???

I vowed I'd never do it...

But, I took Maggie to school today in my pajamas. We're talking no shower, no change of clothes, just throwing on the Crocs, a jacket, and that's it. Good thing is that she had me drop her off so nobody could see me, but I still feel like a big loser for it.

Addison must be in a growth spurt. She wanted quite a bit of milk last night, so I'm bumping up her feedings. For the past few nights, she was sleeping 4-5 hours at a time, but last night I was lucky to get 2 hours at a time out of her. My butt is DRAGGING today. She's also quite awake and active today - more than before. So, no naps for mommy. Looking forward to the weekend when Scott can take a night.

Oh, and I'll have pictures of Addie, soon. My boss is supposed to bring my Mac by tonight and I'll be able to upload to it. (My home system is still on the fritz) I've already filled one flashcard and have about 40 on another.

Maybe I'll have updates tomorrow!

Damn Computer!!!

I hate my home computer. Got lots of photos I want to post - stupid thing won't read the disk. Can't wait to get my Mac!

I'm contemplating taking a sledge hammer to it. Darn hormones...

Adjustment Period

Addison is a week old today. Officially at 6:53 pm. This time last week, I was registering at the hospital. Goodness, it seems like a dream. I guess I just never thought I would see the day where I'd hold another newborn. Even though I'm completely sleep deprived, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

In the spirit of adjustments, I'm going to list my Top 10 realities since bringing Addie home. Some are funny, others are hormonal and mushy - just like me!

10) I'm at the mercy of the sleeping pattern of a newborn. Embrace it.

9) Maggie will have moments. She's no longer the only child and needs time to accept that. Besides, it'll get me ready for when she's a teenager.

8) Buy stock in P&G, Mead Johnson, and Kimberly Clark. I'll benefit from it someday after all the diapers, formula, detergent, pads, etc. that I've had to buy. I alone am increasing their profit margins.

7) Advil doesn't come in a big enough bottle.

6) Don't bank on the baby being big even though that's what the doctor says. Make sure to have a variety of sizes of clothes on hand or else you'll be washing 3 loads of laundry/day.

5) Huggies prevent leaks better than Pampers right now. (Exact opposite with Maggie) Getting ready to try the Luvs - about $2.00 cheaper.

4) I should have bought more than 8 - 4oz. bottles.

3) Take a shower first thing in the morning. Makes me feel better all day.

2) Good friends are a blessing. Be thankful for them.



Kim and Barb were there when I found out I was pregnant and they were there when I had her. Good friends like that are a blessing. (Just like Tina, Jamie, Melissa, Rita, Missy, Emily, Teresa, etc.)

1) I am married to the most wonderful man on the planet. He's the best daddy - watching him with his daughters makes me fall in love with him all over again. That's why he's Scottie 2 Hottie. :)

I'll be sure to post more photos as soon as I can. My home computer pretty much sucks. I'll be getting my Mac Book Pro this weekend, and I'll post Addie updates more frequently.

Wanna see???

Our little Pot O' Gold...

http://www.growingfamily.com/webnursery/babypage_view.asp?URLID=9E3N0I5O8W

Introducing...

Addison Reese Rohlfs



Born: March 17th at 6:53 p.m.
Length: 19.5 inches
Weight: 6 lbs. 7 oz. (I KNOW! What happened to that big baby the doc was predicting???)

I came home Saturday night right after her 24 hour PKU test. I didn't want to stay any longer - I'd rather recoup at home. Still adjusting, so I apologize if I haven't called or e-mailed. I can barely get online in-between naps and alternating the schedule with Scott. Plus, I forgot about how much laundry one little newborn produces. Thank goodness he's home for a few days so that I can recoup a little bit. I also forgot how wonderful it is to have a newborn. To sum it up: we're in love!

Maggie is doing well and loves her baby sister. The jury is still out if she still likes Scott and I. LOL! But, we're trying to do some stuff with her this week so that she knows she's still very special to us.



I'll post more photos and the birth story later. Maggie just went to school and Addie is taking a nap, so I need to get some sleep. (Had about 2 hours last night)

Oh, and I'm also debating selling my Kenny Chesney tickets for Thursday. I want to go with Scott so badly but physically, I'm worried about going and I'm not sure I'm ready to leave Addie, yet. I just know I'll be drained and probably will want to be home. Never thought that would be the case. :(

Last day of work!!!

Today is my last day of work until I have the baby. I have to be honest - it's about time because I'm having a hard time getting around. I believe she's dropped since yesterday. (Which was a full moon by the way!) Don't worry - I'll still be accessible, but won't have my work e-mail again until next week when they install wireless at my house. It'll give me a few days to recoup and get situated anyway. Looking forward to that! Plus, I'll still be blogging from home!

For my last day, we all went to PF Changs (YUMMY!) and then of course I had to hit the Cold Stone next door. I went all out - sweet cream ice cream with fudge, a brownie and yellow cake. In total I've gained three pounds this pregnancy. If you ask me, I've done pretty darn well. My doctor has been VERY pleased about that. I'm just excited because I'm thinking I'll be wearing jeans home this time!

Barb brought her camera and snapped a few photos - had to share them. She's SO FAB at taking pictures. These are my favorite pregnancy shots. The people in front of PF Changs thought we were an odd bunch, but oh well. I thought about climbing up onto the horse, but figured it was too high and I'm too unbalanced at this point. HA HA!

Here are photos - I tried to get Barb to photoshop some chin off, but we were on a time crunch. LOL! Look at my sexy belly (as said in my best Fat Bastard voice)





Reason why I've gained three pounds!



But, it was good!

I'm SO ready for a nap now. If only they would have got me the couch I requested months ago! Sigh...

There are two channels

that no pregnant woman should watch: TLC and Discovery Health. I'm not kidding. I'm absolutely addicted to TLC's "A Baby Story" and Discovery's "Birth Day". (By the way, Birth Day Live is on tonight)



But, here's the kicker. Even though I have a light at the end of my tunnel, it's still not here and watching these shows makes me cry everytime. I'm at the emotional phase of my pregnancy. Everything makes me cry. Doesn't matter what it is. I cry because I'm scared about Friday. I cry because I'm excited about it. I cry because the Smith family had their third child on the show and she had a water birth without drugs and made it look so easy. I cry because the other girl took an epidural and I watched them put it in and now I have epidural phobia again. I cry because I'm worried that my cervix is going to stay shut and I'll end up with a c-section. Cry, Cry, Cry. I think Johnny Cash wrote a song about that!

Yes - I'm a big mess ball and need to be banned from TLC and Discovery. Good thing I can't get the channels while at work.

Of course, I can still cry. Went to lunch today. Saw an old man. God love him - he was obviously having a hard time getting around and what do I do. Sit there and eat my lunch and cry because I wanted to take him home and help him. Right now I'm listening to my itunes - and you guessed it. Having a good cry. I think the hormones have started early. Been trying to put this off but I think I'm just exhausted and emotional.

For the love of everything, someone help me turn off the waterworks...

March 17, 2006

That's the date of induction. At 9:00 am - I am to be at the hospital ready, willing and waiting. It's exciting because deep down I always thought this would be a St. Patty's baby. Now, it's looking like more of a reality unless something happens between now and Friday. And, goodness help me - I hope my labor doesn't extend to the 18th!

I feel like I have so many things to do and not enough time. It's literally consuming all of my thoughts. I still want to scrub every crevice of my house, my SIL needs me to do her taxes, I have to get my own taxes figured out, etc., etc. Not to mention packing the bag and making sure that I have all of my arrangements made for Maggie. Goodness - I'm going to miss her while I'm in the hospital. I just LOVE that girl!

Of course, now that we're having a St. Patty's Day baby, my husband has decided she needs an Irish name. I thought we were about 85% solidified on one and now he's decided he wants something different. I'm thinking this is going to get ugly before it ends. LOL! The name debate has been ongoing since we found out we were having a girl. With Maggie, we knew immediately what we were going to name her. With this one - we have no clue. It's sad. I have a list sitting by my computer at home that I plan to take with me. That way I don't forget any of the ones that I like. Or, mistakenly give her a name that means "transsexual goat" or something. This baby naming stuff is scary business!

We also have the ongoing saga of me wanting NOBODY in the room but my husband. For some reason, people don't understand that. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't birth a PRIVATE thing? I mean, seriously, it's not a family picnic. In the end, birth is a beautiful thing, but it's still my private area that's on display and I'm just not really feeling this whole "letting everyone and their brother" in the room. I feel like Bailey from G/A - don't look at my va-jay-jay. The biggest one is my husband's sister. The last time she showed up while I was laboring she needed more attention from my nurses than I did. She requested heated blankets so that she could take a nap and then proceeded to sleep on the floor. WTH!?! My doctor had to step over her. I told the doctor to just kick her to the side, but I guess that wouldn't have went over well. So, I've asked DH to tell everyone that I don't want a bunch of people there. Besides, I can be a moody one, especially when in pain. Good thing is, doc told me today that I didn't have to be Superwoman and could have my epidural whenever. Yes - I'll take an epidural and a good dose of pitocin please.

Gotta go home and get ready. So many things to do, so little time!

9 months ago...

Ok - so maybe less than 9 months ago, but quite some time ago nonetheless, this is what I saw:



It's so hard to believe that the time has already passed and here I am waiting for the baby. I'm not going to lie - I'm impatiently waiting. I just feel like everything is on hold until she gets here - that I am waiting for this hump to go over before I can do a bunch of stuff. After my appointment on Thursday when it was concluded that there was NO CHANGE and that they'd check me on Monday and see about an induction next week, I decided to at least play a bit. Went scrapbooking on Friday night and had a great time - got to see my friends!

Yesterday Maggie went for her cheerleading fitting. Yes - she wants to be a cheerleader. Yes - everyone that knows me or saw the "Fire Me Please" episode knows how I feel about that. But, watching her excitement yesterday as she put on the "shell" (Like I know what that is?) and her little skirt, etc., made it worth it. She'll have a good time this fall, plus I hope she makes more friends than just those in her class. We'll see how it goes.

Of course, as we're leaving the gym there are two boys outside in a fistfight. NO parents around, except me. My initial reaction was to separate them and pull the one off of the other. (The one kid was being PUMMELED) But, then I had to stop. These boys were about 12, so they weren't small kids. And, here I was 9 months pregnant. I could just see myself getting tangled up in this mess. I ran inside and grabbed another parent and when we got outside, the one boy took off running. Sadly, the other boy had NO IDEA who he was or why he attacked him. :( I was so upset. I wish I could have pulled that kid off of him. Those who know me know that I don't tolerate that type of stuff. Me and the other mom drove around looking for the boy but couldn't find him. Brat! What else was upsetting is that Maggie stood there with me - I told her to jump in the car, but she saw it. I came home and told Scott that she's taking some sort of self-defense class as soon as we can logistically figure it out. (I've been wanting to put her in Tae Kwon Do for a while, now.) I want her to be able to defend herself against something like that. I just have no idea what gets into the minds of kids these days.

Anyway, it's Sunday and I'm just doing some laundry and waiting for the rain to ease up. It's rained all weekend. So dreary and depressing. I need to run to the grocery but I'm like an old cat - I hate getting wet. So, I'm playing around and watching "In the Womb" and "Birth Day". Yes - shows to remind me that I haven't had my baby, yet. LOL!

Where are they now????

So, I'm sitting here waiting to go to the OB. Just chillin', surfing the net and watching some VHI Classic. It's at this moment that I realize I'm no longer "young and hip". Why? Because I'm jamming to VH1 CLASSIC! I'm not hip on MTV, but VH1. Yes - harsh reality people. I'm going to be 30 and I'm diggin' the music on here - takes me back.

As I'm watching videos and completely cracking up, I thought I'd do a "where are they now" sort of thing. Although, it's not a "where are they now", it's more of "what the heck where we thinking?"

Case #1 = Rick Astley



Seriously... the man could sing. Looked like "Howdy Doody" but could sing. His video "Never gonna give you up" was on and all I could think of was that he had 1, count that ONE dance move. The traditional white-boy shuffle where your arms and move from left to right. Smooth...

Then, we have Tommy Page. Does anyone other than former NKOTB fans know who he is?



I'm contemplating RAKing someone who can name THREE songs Tommy Page sung without looking them up. HA! Here, I'll give you one. "I'll be your everything" and yes - I know all the words, still.

Then you have the guys that are in "80's teen idol denial". Case in point - Donnie Wahlberg. Oh yes Donnie - you were ghetto, you were a teen idol and you were a NEW KID. Don't deny it buddy. You were hip.



Honestly - I think he looks better here than he does now. Another reason why I'm old - Donnie is almost 40. I remember when he was 21. He's now some officer in Annapolis or something. I didn't even RECOGNIZE him in the trailer. Hey Donnie - grow the beard and put the nose-ring back in.

Finally, my favorite. I was going to marry this man when I was 13. Not kidding. To this day I think I'd get giddy if I ran into him. Every boy band has their "shy one" and of course, I'm the sucker for the shy one. Say hello to Jon Knight. Or, Jonathan as I think he prefers these days. Older brother to Jordan Knight. Former New Kid turned real estate agent or something.

He's a hottie. He actually reminds me of Scottie 2 Hottie. Same chin and smile.



Fun times...

Thought of the day...

"Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle."

For the past two weeks, I've been trying to figure out how to go into labor. Today my cousin sent me Erma Bombeck's poem about things she would do differently and I decided that this isn't so bad. Yes, my back hurts. Yes - my belly aches sometimes. Yes - the stretchmarks are starting to take on an identity of their own. But, she's warm and she's happy and here I am assisting God in a miracle. Yes - this is a great and wonderful thing.

So far I've...

tried Don Pablo's salsa, eggplant parm, Donato's, pork chops, cleaning my floor and gettin' with my man. NOTHING has worked. LOL! Just kidding! I just had to giggle at all of the suggestions on how to go into labor. Unfortunately, I don't think any of them will work. (Ok - maybe the last one) I had heard about the eggplant parm thing but that would just make me throw up and I eat so much chips and salsa that I'm sure I have an immunity to it at this point.

Here's my theory now. When I worked at P&G, there was an older woman there that told me "You'll have this baby on the next full moon". Well, she was right. I had Maggie on the next full moon - me and about 35 other women. She swears there is something about the gravitational pull, etc., and that "moon children" deliver on those days.



I'm a moon child - born under a water sign. She had a whole chart and theory about it. At first I thought she was a little goofy but she was RIGHT! So, I checked out the Farmer's Almanac and the next full moon is the 14th. I'm not even thinking about delivery until then. I figure the baby is enjoying herself and growing. Heck - I was 9 lbs. 15 oz. at birth and my mom had me. (Au naturel - no drugs to boot!) I figure if she gets much bigger I can do it, too! (Minus the no drugs part - me and epidural are friends)

In the spirit of not thinking about labor, etc., Scott and I had what we presume will be our last "date night" for a while. Occasionally we have his parents keep Maggie overnight so that he and I can do something with just the two of us. Usually it's a movie, etc. This time, we ran over to the riverboat casino with my mom and my cousin and her husband. My cousin called me and was like "It's tradition - we HAVE to go." What she means by that is that when I was pregnant with Maggie, I was trying so hard to go into labor. We would go over to the riverboat casino in hopes that the rumbling from the boat's engine, all the excitement and all of the walking would do the trick. Never did, but I won enough money to buy Scott a new lawnmower. (Exciting - I know) This time, we went over and Scott rubbed the belly for good luck. He ended up winning $200. So, now I have new curtains in my living room. :) If nothing else - date night at least turned into "I can go to Target on Sunday and buy some stuff I've been wanting". Works for me!

Still pregnant...

Still here.



Doctor said there were no changes, so I have another appointment scheduled for next week. At first I thought about begging and trying tears. Then, I decided to just go with it. Another week isn't so bad. Gives me time to finish getting things ready. Goodness knows I'm going through the nesting phase and have more plans to do some other stuff. Now I have more time. That's good! Plus, I never really got around to the belly shots, so Scott's going to have to step up his picture taking this weekend. And, me and Baby X can spend some more quality time together. She doesn't even have a name, yet. YIKES!

Plus, I bought "Walk the Line" today. Going to curl up with some ice cream, my hot husband and my adorable daughter and watch it tonight. Scott and I saw it in theatres and Maggie just LOVES the soundtrack, so we bought it thinking she might like the movie. Of course, she's been falling asleep early so she might not stay awake for it. (For those of you wondering, YES - I let my daughter watch movies like this. Life is not all "Charlie and the Chocoloate Factory" and she's so into music and Johnny Cash that I figure what the hey - let her watch it - except maybe the scene with his brother) I'm so into the love story with the movie that I could watch it over and over. Fascinating.



The other good thing is that I have more time to organize my office and work on Summer CHA stuff. I uploaded a bunch of my CDs to Itunes on my new Mac. Lovin' that!

Fun Stuff

Lots of fun stuff going on right now! Figure I should just list them in my blog, why not, right?

1) Baby X will be here soon. Yes - I keep saying that, but it's true. She's getting ready. My next appointment is tomorrow and I will be armed with tears, begging and anything else that will help me get an induction date.

2) Got my new Mac Book Pro! Yes - it's sweet! Here's Morris and Janice playing with the photobooth on it yesterday - we're so productive here. Remember girls - Morris is available! You have to be ultra awesome though before the rest of us will let you date him. He deserves a great girl! Trust me - he's a catch!!!



3) Barb started work today!!! YEA!!! It's great having someone to bounce ideas off of, etc. She's busily working on some CKU projects - we've decided to do the remaining two albums this year. Maybe more. Lots of things will be happening here at IP soon!

4) Talked to S2H a few times today. My hubby is a hottie. Even when he's Earl. He got his hairs cut last night. So cute! Wish I had a photo to post but I pretty much went home and went to bed.

5) Getting excited about seeing Kenny Chesney! Scott bought me tickets to see Kenny for Valentine's Day. I can't even believe I forgot to blog about that. I'm telling you - I am married to one great man. The concert date is March 23rd - he even arranged babysitting and everything. LOVE him!



6) Have dinner with my family tonight. I love Wednesdays. I have dinner with my mom, cousin Lorrie, brother, etc. Tonight is Skyline! My nephew works there after school, so he's bringing everyone dinner. It's so nice to just have one night a week to connect with my extended family. Even if they drive Scott nuts. :) (For those of you NOT from Cincinnati, Skyline is our sweet chili that we eat with spaghetti and cheese, or on a hotdog. If you're not from here, you'd probably hate it)

7) Got my wireless appointment scheduled. Making the Rohlfs house a hot spot. :)

8) Maggie is finally feeling a bit better. My poor little pumpkin has battled the stomach flu and an ear infection in the past week. We've spent a lot of time cuddled up on the couch reading books. I'm amazed at how much she has learned in school and how fast she catches on. She's also asking to name her sister "Meredith". I've been letting her watch too much G/A.

That's all - I tried to make it to ten but quite frankly - it's lunchtime and I'm starving. Gotta go feed the baby!

Back to the land of the living

If there is one thing that I can't stand more than anything on this planet (even more than Brangelina), it's the stomach flu/virus nasty thing that kids seem to bring home every year. That's how I spent my weekend. Not necessarily how I would have preferred to spend my Saturday and Sunday but did so nonetheless. Good thing is - I lost five pounds. Bad thing is - I lost five pounds. Not too many women lose 5 pounds in their 9th month of pregnancy. Of course, I'll probably pack it back on before my appointment on Thursday.

Which, by the way, Thursday's appointment could be a big one! We might get an induction date. Actually, I'm planning with all of my might to get an induction date that day. At my appointment last week, Baby X was measuring 2 weeks AHEAD of schedule - which means she's going to rival her sister in terms of birth weight. Maggie came in a week early at a whopping 8 lbs, 14 oz. Her sister who is shakin' and a bakin' in the oven is looking to meet or exceed that. So, the doctor (out of sympathy I'm sure) is talking about inducing me if I can get 1 more cm dilated. I told her I'd see her next Thursday with bells on. I even made my appointment with the same doctor hoping that she won't forget her promise to me. (I see 8 doctors in the practice that I go to.) I'll be sure to remind her!

I still have a million things to do and no time to do them. I need to be like Barb and get a Franklin or something. Goodness knows a list would help. But, that would involve being organized and I'm more of a procratinator/fly by the seat of my pants type of girl. But, we'll see...maybe I'll make a list and stick to it.

By the way - my PSA of today - I'm on a chat tonight at 9:00 EST - www.hth-creations.com. Come by and talk to me if you want! I love to chat!!! :D

Lastly, wanted to post this layout of my favorite big girl with my favorite great niece. Here's Maggie kissing baby Ryan. (Yes - her name is Ryan - I tried talking her mom into something more "girly" but it's starting to grow on me) I think Maggie is prepping for sisterhood pretty well. What do you think?



Of course, my poor angel is at the docs right now. She's been complaining today of ear pain. :( Poor little peanut.

Oh - and I guess I lied about the "lastly" part. I should post something about Grey's Anatomy. I do that every week. The only thing is - I'm still left reeling over last night. Not sure how I feel about it. I'm just heartbroken for George. Still mourning for him.

WHY????

Why do parents send their kids to school to infect the rest of the class with a stomach virus?

Why do we manage to get it every year?

Why in the WORLD am I 9 months pregnant and dealing with the stomach yucks?

Yep - you guessed it. Tis the season. Blah...

My NEW Birthing Coach...

Did you think you'd get through the week without at least ONE Grey's post? Seriously...

For those of you that wonder who the "Anonymous" poster is - I'm outing him. It's my husband - Scott. Or, more affectionately referred to as "Scottie 2 Hottie" or "S2H". He loves to post things to get a rise out of me. Thing is - the way that I feel right now, if he keeps posting things to aggravate me, he might just end up with a homemade vasectomy. Hear that sweetie? :D I told him I'm trading him in for George O'Malley as my labor coach. You have to admit - George isn't McDreamy but he makes your heart melt because he's like a little puppy. He's sweet, cuddly, and non-judgemental. I'm just praying that Meredith doesn't break his heart on the show. I don't want to have to hate her because I like her character too much.

Moving on...

No real changes in Baby X. She's just hanging out, grinding her head into my sciatic nerve. Thank God for Thermacare. I'm just waiting. Last night I watched my Great Niece. LOVE that baby so much. She is in the fun stage where she giggles and smiles at you. Maggie and I had her on the blanket and we were talking to her and she was just kicking and giggling. I can't even tell you how excited I am that our own little baby will be here soon doing that. Can't wait! And, the fact that she has a cousin her own age is awesome. A huge majority of my cousins live out of state, so I didn't get to see them on a regular basis. Plus, as my local friends know, they're a few plugs of Beechnut shy of a trailer park. (My cousins that is - not my friends here!) LOL! Maybe some day when I'm feeling like doing a little "Git R Done", I'll talk about my cousins. For now, I'll keep you wondering.

That's all for today. Happy Wednesday. Hump day - only two more days until the weekend! This completely un-focused girl can't wait!

This is me...

Ok - so maybe it's not REALLY me, but it's how I feel right now. Huge and uncomfortable. I honestly thought something might happen with this pregnancy yesterday because I started showing some signs of pre-labor. For the sake of TMI and to protect those men that read blogs (including my husband), I won't go into details, but let's just say that dilation is defintely taking place. I also feel like my lower back is going to split in half. Baby X has settled herself in there quite snugly. It's like trying to walk with a 16 lb bowling ball stuck in my pelvis. <--- Once again, bowling reference so that my husband understands what I'm talking about.

I've tried to be chipper about this entire pregnancy. Now - I just want it OVER. I'm happy and excited to be pregnant and goodness knows that I am so grateful for it considering I never thought it would happen again, but for the love of everything nice in this world, I just want the back pain to stop. I laid on my couch last night in tears because the back pain was so bad. I don't remember it being that horrible with Maggie. And she was a 9 lb baby. Then - the evilness starts. Scott even so much as looks at me or breathes too much and I'm yelling. Yes - I've turned into full-blown evil pregnant woman that waddles and wants things over. Oh, and if there is something in the house that needs washed, I'm on it. I believe I would wash the windows outside if it weren't 30 degrees outside.

Here I sit and wait. Wait...Wait...Wait...

Been Tagged...

Been tagged a few times, so I need to really catch up on my blog tags! My latest is from the fantastic (and soon to be my co-worker) Barb Hogan.

Here goes:

What scrapbook lines/products, etc. do you dislike? Hmm...Not going to answer that. LOL! There are a TON of things that I can't work with. I wouldn't say any products that I don't like, but there are people that I don't care for. ;) Of course, I'm pregnant and it's not too hard to get on my bad side these days.

What is the hardest thing you have ever had to scrap? Anything that has my own line on it. LOL! Seriously - I see that stuff EVERY SINGLE DAY and by the time it goes to print, I've looked at it for a few months. I like playing with other company's stuff. It's "new" to me.

What technique do you use more than anything else? Not really sure. Probably hand journaling now. I used to be a complete computer journaler - even bought a large format printer for it but now I use my zig, Sharpie, etc. It just varies on what I'm into at the moment.

What is the smallest scrap of paper you save? Honestly - I don't save scraps. (EEK!) I give them to my friends that are sitting there at the crop with me. (Jamie - tell them girl - I hook you up don't I?) I'm one of those "once and out" people. I don't use the same paper line more than once, I don't carry the same purse more than once, I won't wear the same watch more than once. (once meaning the time I buy it until the battery dies) I'm weird...

Have you ever had any scrapbook related injuries? This one time I was demo'ing a CM cutter (the Complete Cutting System thing) and I SLICED my finger. I'm talking call Dr. McDreamy because I'm hemorraging. That was pretty embarrasing.

Finish this sentence, "If I wasn't a scrapbooker/stamper, I would spend my money on..." Jenny Craig. LOL! Hey- it worked for Kirstie - bound to work for me.

Give us your best storage or organizational idea. Tackle boxes. I have a Shumano that I bought at Dicks and it has a carrying bag/case thingie and LOVE it. I can sort LOTS of stuff!

You just won a week long scrapbooking cruise for 5. Who is going with you? Dude - I need the whole boat! I'd have to have a PAR-TAY! I'd bring my local girls: Barb, Tina, Jamie, Kim, etc. But then I'd want my other friends that I never get to see there. (Teresa, Stacey, Emily, etc.) Oh, and I have to bring Scottie 2 Hottie. Gotta have a cabana boy.

When you received your first publication notification, who did you tell? And if you are not yet pubbed, who will be the first person you share the news with? I got a nod from Ivy Cottage (remember them???) years ago and called the store owner that I worked for at the time. She had the layout in her store. My husband didn't get it and honestly - the color on the photograph was so bad in the mag that it was a bummer. :(

After answering the questions, tag four of your buddies: My friends hate this. Besides, most of them don't have their own blogs. LOL! Here's the deal - if you read it - blog it, or at least leave a comment. :)

Got some new things...

To show you. :) These are the four new boxed rub-on collections coming out. So excited about them - they should start shipping late next week. As always - they go on like butta!






Hope you enjoy them! I had a blast playing with them last week. :) The title of this layout is done with the Seaver ones.



Can't wait until they arrive!!!!

At the request of my friend Tina

I'm adding a "funnier" post. I guess my "lovey dovey" (gag) posts about me and S2H get a little boring after a few days. :)

There are lots of things for me to blog about but I haven't really had time, blah blah blah... I also realized that I missed posting about Grey's Anatomy. What the HECK is wrong with me? That's my normal Monday morning blogging. So - here goes:

WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU TURN A HOTTIE LIKE KYLE CHANDLER INTO PINK MIST????? Seriously...I was hoping that he could somehow train to become a doctor and be on the show full time. THAT would have made GA the perfect show! I mean - look at this -



No way on earth would I have blown him up. Nope - nada. He could have come back as a chief resident or something. Or, resident hottie doctor - he and McDreamy. It could be Brokeback Grey's Anatomy for all I care. As long as I got to look at the both of them, life is good.

Then there is the ongoing saga of Meredith/McDreamy/Addison. Alright - here is how I see it. McDreamy belongs with Meredith. I realize that his wife is Addison but she cheated and for that, she must pay. I like Addison, don't get me wrong. (Heck, I'm still trying to convince my husband to name our daughter Addison even though 1) Addie was my grandmother's name and that's PRE Grey's Anatomy and 2) I didn't even realize Addison was a GA character until about 3 months ago when it finally dawned on me) But, I just see him with Meredith. (which is ALSO a cute girls name - S2H if you're reading this!) When McDreamy came to the door and talked about their last kiss, I literally melted and started sobbing. Of course, I cry at the Chase Credit Card commercial, but still - very touching. I just want them together. Love Meredith. Pick Meredith. Choose Meredith.



Ok - enough blabbing about Grey's Anatomy even though it's Thursday and I'm already looking forward to Sunday. :)

As for other things on the home front, I'm still eagerly awaiting some shower photos so that I can tell ya'll about my awesome shower from Sunday. My friends definitely got a kick out of my mother - picture a cross between Shirley McLaine and Dolly Parton. You have my mom. Well, maybe a dash of Jeff Foxworthy, too. But, she's the best mom. Wouldn't trade her for anything. Do wish I could put a mute button on her sometimes, but wouldn't trade her. LOL!

Carpet is being laid in the girls' room today. So weird to be able to say it. Scott repainted the room and it looks great. Although, I think he was a bit off of his rocker letting a 5 year old pick the colors but he said it's her room and she can have what she wants. I'm too exhausted to fight it so I went with it and it's actually very cute. I'm hoping to get it all put together this weekend and get everything washed and ready to go.

Finally, I'm sick. Yep - not only VERY pregnant but have a double ear infection. Fun. You would think that by 30 I would outgrow those. Nope. Blah...

10 Years

ago today Scott and I became officially engaged. Only about 6 months into our relationship - and we were young and crazy. There's no denying that. We met at 19, got engaged when I was 19 and he was 20 and got married at 22. (I was BARELY 22) I wouldn't trade the past 10+ years for anything in the world. The story goes something like this:

About two weeks before Valentine's Day, we were on the phone late at night. Scott worked 3rd shift at a company and I was in school during the day and working as a waitress at night. We didn't get to see each other often but we always talked on the phone late at night because he was a QC Tech on 3rd shift and not that busy. Trust me - many times I fell asleep only to be awakened by that annoying buzzing sound when you accidentally leave the phone off of the hook. Anyway - we were talking and I said something about how wonderful of a dad he'd be, yada yada. Next thing I know, he's like "wanna get married" and of course I responded with a very 19-year-old "sure".

Let's just say the parents didn't handle it well. I thought my mother was going to kill him. With a lot of convincing and a promise not to get married until I graduated college, we finally got the blessing of our parents. (Well, I'm STILL not so sure that his parents are happy about it. LOL!) Then started the ring shopping. We looked at various rings and Scott had even tried to put one on hold but his dad talked him out of it. It was a 2 carat whopper heart-shaped diamond. (Those were BIG back in the 90's - I can hear you laughing but it's true) Well, it sold before he could get back to buy it and I was a bit heartbroken but we looked around again. Then, in the midst of frustration in a store, I came outside only to find my ring sitting on a fake hand in one of those storefront windows. Ah yes - that was the ring. It was more than what Scott had budgeted (let's remember - he's only 20 and working his first full-time job) but he bought it for me anyway. I cherish that ring. I won't trade it in or buy a bigger one. It's the one that HE bought ME when he was so young. It's not going anywhere. (That's not to say he can't buy me a big, fat diamond for another finger. I have 7 other fingers and two thumbs in case your reading this Scott)

We had to have it sized (since they only come in what - a 5? Who can wear that?) and I had NO idea when he'd get it back. Valentine's Day rolls around and I'm at his house because we're getting ready to go get lunch and he gets the little box out of his drawer. He had the ring. He got on his knee and re-proposed. At least, I think he did. All I remember is wanting the ring. :)

In any event - I married the most wonderful man and amazing daddy. Even if he is "Earl" sometimes, he's still my Earl. (Speaking of Earl moments, he washed his cell phone last night - I'm 8 1/2 months pregnant and he has no cell phone - Good job Earl!) I wouldn't change a thing about the past 10 years.

I had to post this page even though it's OLD - we're talking about 3 years old. But, the photos are some of my favorites. This shows you how young we were. If Maggie came to me at 19 and told me she was getting married, I'd grab my shotgun. Of course, Scott would probably beat me to the door.

What happens in Vegas...

Stays in Vegas. The only thing is - my Vegas trip wasn't that exciting considering I was 8 months pregnant. So, all of my photos are relatively subtle - no Thunder Down Under, Gambling, or partying with Britney and K-Fed. (Just kidding - there is not enough antibacterial soap in the world to make me party with K-Fed)

Anyway, wanted to post some of my favorite CHA photos. Remind me later to post the one of Chewbacca. Yes - we found a Wookie while at the show. Those who were there know what I'm talking about. Let's just say "back hair" and leave it at that.

Here's one of all of us at the IP booth. We had SUCH a great group - everyone was awesome. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time at a trade show. We had so much fun. I roomed with Sherry and Laura and let me tell you - they were so great and understanding when I was up 6 times each night running to the bathroom. They also tolerated my endless comedic chatter when the fire alarm went off at 3:00 am. Once I'm up - I'm up.

Anyway - here's the IP team.



The guy on the end is my boss, Morris. He's single if you know anyone that's single, attractive, funny, etc. He's a catch. I'm thinking about nominating him for the next "Bachelor". Me and the other girls were talking about starting a website called marrymorris.com. Of course, he has his sights set high right now - so, if you're Stacy Keibler on Dancing With the Stars, e-mail me. He's dying for a date.

Then here I am (big belly and all) with my gang from Rocky Mountain Hobbies. Sherry Laffoon, Janice Lund, Me, Cindy and Darren Lombardi (the owners). I just love these guys. They're so awesome and wonderful! And yes - that's Baby X in that big ole belly. Mental note - remind me to save up to have that HUGE chin sucked off after this baby is born. I'm about over it hanging around in all of my photos. Ugh!



Anyway - that's the post for Thursday. Tonight is Earl. Love that show. I can relate. LOL!

Ok - I'm back. Not necessarily back to the land of the living, but I'm back from the trade show. Got home on Friday afternoon after an interesting flight. Started having contractions on the plane. The poor guy sitting next to me kept looking over as I was breathing. Good thing they were only BH - although those bad boys can get intense sometimes. I was traveling with my buddy, Barb, and she was asleep in the seat in front of me and I didn't want to wake her up. So, I sat through them for about an hour and a half. I also was NOT going to tell our flight attendant because she was about as goofy as a three-dollar bill. Got home and decided that I would wait it out. Good thing - I drank a lot of water and laid down and they stopped. Of course, I'm still having them on and off but until my water breaks, I think I'm good. LOL! Only 5 weeks left (theoretically).

As I get some photos, I'll be posting pictures of our trip. Stupid me didn't bring a camera. Too lazy, pregnant and well... lazy to do it. So, I'm waiting for the other girls to send me some of their pictures. Of course, it's hard to get some fun photos when you're in bed at the hotel at 6:30 ordering room service and watching reruns of Friends. Yes - I was that sad!

And, since this post was supposed to be on Monday but deferred to Wednesday due to illness and blogger not uploading photos, I have to do my McDreamy post. Nothing beats Patrick Dempsey on Sunday nights. I'm so addicted to Grey's Anatomy that I could sit and watch a 24 hour marathon. Here's the big kicker - Sunday's episode was especially hot. Why? Because the bomb guy was KYLE CHANDLER. I have been into that actor since 1992 when he first did Homefront. I bet NOBODY remembers that show but me. I was so excited to see him and Patrick on TV together.

Tell me this ain't hot:





Of course, I know I'm married to Scottie 2 Hottie but a girl has to have a little eye candy on the TV. I live for Sunday nights. The funny thing is - Scott came home last week and said that all the women he works with talk about McDreamy every Monday. I told him to make it VERY clear to them that McDreamy is mine. :) A girl can always dream can't she? Plus, this week he got the shower scene so it evened out.

Finally, Scott has decided he wants to add the name "Gretchen" to our list of potential baby names. At first I sort of liked it. Then, I thought about Gretchen Wilson and the next thing I'm picturing is our daughter on the porch of a double-wide with blond hair, dark roots, cut-offs and a baby on her hip. Oh - and don't forget the cigarette hanging from her mouth and missing tooth. Not that there is anything wrong with that - trust me - I can relate. But, I'm thinking of vetoing Gretchen from the list. I just don't think I can do it.

We'll see...

My thoughts on Brangelina

Ok - let's face it. I'm hormonal. I'm also living on 2 hours of sleep per night due to reflux, baby lying on my bladder, etc. I've also been watching the Tyler Durden blog and laughing hysterically every day. It's a funny yet non-PC look at celebrities from the male point of view. Sadly - I find it interesting and totally hilarious. Of course, I also thought The Man Show was funny. That's what happens when you grow up with brothers.

Then - today he posts this photo:



I'm not sure what angers me about Brad and Angelina. I guess it's because I think that they're slime. First off, any chick that lands both Billy Bob AND Brad Pitt has some serious "what's my type" issues. That's like dating Dennis Rodman and Peyton Manning. Doesn't make sense. Then you have Brad - he was the golden boy. Women loved him. Now - he's the golden jackARSE. Anyone that truly believes that he and Angelina did not have a thing going when they filmed that movie are in serious denial. I feel bad for Jennifer. Imagine this - your husband goes off to do some work and comes back to tell you that he wants a divorce and it has NOTHING to do with his ultra-sleazy co-star, etc. Then, months later (let's face it - Angelina isn't 6 weeks pregnant there) the ultra-sleazy co-star is pregnant with your ex-husband's baby. Mind you - she obviously got pregnant before the divoce was final. Yea - I'd be a little ticked. Then - they gallavant around the world as these caring celebrities doing volunteer work, etc. Does anyone else see hypocracy here?

Do I know them? No. Have I seen Mr. & Mrs. Smith? No. (I refuse to after the whole Brangelina thing) Do I think Jennifer is better off? Yes. Do I think Vince Vaughn is better? Yes. Why am I so bothered by it? I have no idea. Is Brad a pig? Yes. Can I stop going on about this? No.

In any event, here's to you Jennifer. You got much better. Besides - Vince is cute AND funny. And hey girl, if I were you, I'd be looking for Nick Lachey, too. He's single now. (That's a whole OTHER vent for a later hormonal moment.)

Happy Friday everyone! It's my last blog post for a week. Heading out to Vegas probably - last minute decision. I wanted to say something witty, etc., but I had to get the Brangelina thing off of my chest. :) Maybe after I have this baby, we'll discuss Tom Cruise.

The Biggest Loser

So yesterday The Biggest Loser was in Columbus doing a casting call and I actually contemplated leaving work early and making the 2 hour trek to go try out. Since I figured it wouldn't be a good drive for me, I decided to go online and I actually downloaded the application. For the first time (other than my other reality show stint that I had NO SAY in participating in) there is a reality show that I would actually consider applying for.

Here's the deal - I'm fat. I'm also funny and I also like money. I think I could do this. I also am VERY competitive. Always have been. I was the kid in high school that always screwed the curve because I had to have the highest score. Trust me - The Biggest Loser is RIGHT up my alley!

The only thing holding me back from this casting call is timing. They start filming in April. The baby is due in March. I don't want to be gone for 10 weeks and leave my newborn. I did ask work if I could take off for 10 weeks if I were chosen. LOL! Thank goodness my boss watches reality TV and is pretty cool about it.

So - I'm thinking I'm going to go for it the next season. Oh yea!!!!

I WEAR FUGLY SHOES...

Ok - I'm not even going to deny it. I wear ugly shoes. Not just ugly - FUGLY shoes apparently. My husband says so, some of my friends say so, heck - I even think they're ugly but I can't stop wearing them. They're so comfy - especially on my fat, preggo feet.

So - today's blog post is in dedication to my fugly shoes and my friends and family that hate them. :)



I'm thinking of buying these to match our black and gold bowling shirts here at Imagination Project. I think it's the perfect trade show get-up gear. :)

McDreamy...

What can I say? I always tell Maggie to marry the geek in high school because he turns out to be the hot doctor. I love my husband dearly, but on Sunday nights at 10:00, my time is devoted to McDreamy. :)



Who knew Patrick Dempsey had it?



I also cried when Meredith brought him and Addison her dog. I think it was a hormonal moment.

Sigh...McDreamy...

Tagged by the FABULOUS Amy Howe

Got a tag by the fabulous Amy Howe - have you SEEN this girl's work? It's amazing. Anyway, I love tag games. I love quizzes. The geek in me loves tests. It's really sad. So, I was HAPPY to fill out the tag questions immediately. (Have I ever mentioned my love for Jeopardy and Trivial Pursuit?)
-------------------------------

The rules for this particular tagging are as follows: Remove the blog name in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add yourself to the bottom slot.

Andrea
Courtney
Leah
Amy
Ginger

Then you get to select five people to pass the love on to. I'll choose five super talented super nice gals:

Barb Hogan
Heather Preckel
Stacey Pannassidi
Emily Adams
Teresa Collins

Here are the questions.

What were you doing 10 years ago?
I was about 20 (I'm not 30 YET!) and a junior in college. I think my major was pre-law at the time. LOL! I was working at Globe Furniture Rentals as a bill collector and putting myself through school.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
Getting ready for CHA in Atlanta. Gin-X had debuted at Memory Trends and this was my first "big" show.

Five snacks you enjoy (in no particular order, as all snacks are created equal):
(Well - keep in mind that I'm pregnant right now)
1) Bagel Chips
2) Brownies
3) Funyuns
4) Cheese (especially string cheese)
5) Chips and Salsa

Five songs to which you KNOW all the lyrics:
The entire Hot Fuss CD by the Killers
The entire soundtrack to Walk the Line
Anything Dixie Chicks
Anything New Kids on the Block (Hey - they'll be back one day!)
The entire "Bootie Shakin' Hits" CD that you can buy at Target - that was the day baby!

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
1) Pay off my house and give it to my niece to raise her daughter.
2) But a bigger house - probably in Florida because that's where Scott says we're living if we ever win the lotto.
3) Pay off the houses of my brothers and mom. Buy my mom a new car - whatever she wanted.
4) Put a trust fund aside for Maggie and the new baby
5) Become a SAHM

Five bad habits:
1) Picky eater
2) I bite my nails - so gross, but when the nerves start - I can't stop.
3) I swear too much sometimes.
4) I speak my mind too much.
5) I leave my shoes lying around the house.

Five things you like doing:
1) Date nights with Scott
2) Cuddling with Maggie
3) Scrapbooking
4) Crop nights with my friends
5) Dinner at my mom's on Wednesday nights.

Five things you would never wear, buy, or get again:
1) Probably another dog or cat (daughter is allergic)
2) Guess Jeans (wore the dickens out of them when I was in high school. Now, I'm too fat)
3) A mini-van, although they look enticing
4) Leg warmers
5) Those lace gloves like Madonna wore in the 80's. (I had a pair - I think I was 7)

Five favorite toys:
My camera
The computer
My pocket Yahtzee (keeps me entertained while waiting)
Pocket Sudoku
My large-format scanner

First time you got kissed: How was it? Uh - yea - not going to talk about that. Let's just say it was some gross boy from St. Bernard and YUCK!

First time you drove a car: What kind of car? I learned to drive on my dad's Audi 5000. But, my first car was a Chevrolet Celebrity Super Sport. Two toned - black and grey. SHARP!

First time you scrapbooked: over 7 years ago - bought a kit at Franks Nursery and Crafts to do my wedding pictures. Oh the agony - deco scissors and all!

First time you went on a date: Saw Pretty Woman. I was too young. My daughter is not going on a date at 13. Period.

First time you fell in love: Well - I had a high school sweetheart but I don't think that my love for him was like my love for my husband. With him there was no trust - just this perceived notion of what a boyfriend should be. I cared deeply for him but with my husband - things are better and sweeter.

First time you cooked for someone: I made dessert for my dad when I was young. Got love him - he ate it. I remember it was a concoction mix of brownies and rice krispies. ICK!

First time you got on a plane: I was 19 and was going to Arizona. Nothing like a 3 hour flight to break you in!

First time you shaved your legs: I had an electric razor and I was probably around 11 or 12?

First time you put on make up: We used to play "make-up" like crazy when I was little. My mom gave me and my friends this big kit of stuff to play with. We'd play for HOURS.

First time you moved out of your home: I was 21 - it was a month and a half before my wedding. Scott and I got an apartment together. :)

I LOVE being pregnant...

Seriously - even though I complain of the cramps, aches, pains, nausea, going to the potty 5 times a night, I still LOVE being pregnant. There is just something about it - about feeling the baby move and kick. I also LOVE when people stop and pat the belly. Sounds goofy and under any other normal circumstances I'm one of those "this is my dance space, that is your dance space" people, but when I'm pregnant, I want my belly rubbed like a big, fat buddah.

This morning I took my daughter into school and ran into my neighbor, Annetta, who is from Romania. She is the sweetest woman and her daughter is a year older than Maggie. The two of them play on occasions and I feel so bad for Annetta sometimes because she does not speak a lot of English, so when we communicate, it's broken but she tries so hard. I stopped to say "hi" to her and she immediately patted the belly and smiled. She said "Girl?" and I nodded. I told her I had about 8 weeks left and she was so excited for me. It's times like those that I just LOVE being pregnant! Sharing that excitement is so fun. :)