Spend-free month update

So, a few months back, my husband and I decided that September was going to be spend-free month. What does this mean?  We still pay all of our bills and buy gifts for birthdays and such, but we don’t buy anything extra.  That includes no eating out, no spending on frivolous items. We only buy what we need to get buy.

So, we are almost half-way through the month.  How are we doing?

We have not eaten out at all.  Well, that’s not true.  My husband is allowed 1 lunch out a week with his friend at work.

I had to buy school supplies for my daughter’s school (since I didn’t get the list until September already started).  That was expensive.

I haven’t been doing so well at the grocery store.  I spent $160 the first week and $120 the second week.  I allotted myself $450 to spend on groceries, and it is going to be hard.  I will keep you posted to see how that goes.

I had to buy birthday presents and gifts for my family too.

So, all-in-all, we’re doing horribly.  But, we still have 2 weeks left.  I hope I can stick to what I’ve been doing well so far. And, I hope I can do better with the extras.

Jade’s first day at a new school

My beautiful big girl is just that … a big girl. I already mentioned why we had to switch her schools at the last minute, and well, today was her first day.

At her new school, all the kids and parents wait on the sidewalk for the teachers to come out to walk them back to their classrooms.  While we’re waiting, Jade starts to get nervous as more kids start to line up behind her.  “Momma, pick me up,” she says, as I hold all of her school supplies and her backpack. But, I can see that she’s a bit nervous. So, I pick her up for a couple of seconds to get her comforted. And, the teachers come out.

Her teacher explains to me the process and asks Jade if she wants to walk back with her, or if she wants me to walk her back.  Jade grabs my hand (I had set her down to sign in) and clings to me. So, I walk her back.

When we get to the classroom, she heads straight over to the kitchen while I talk to the teacher that is in the room, hand over the supplies, etc.  She has already made herself at home with the toys.  When I’m done talking, I tell her I’d like to show her the potty before I go.  She reluctantly follows me, but is happy to see the little potty in the room.  She goes potty and washes her hands. Then, she heads right back out of the room.  The teacher is getting play dough out for all of the kids and has a fresh can in her hand.  She offers it to Jade, who pulls out the chair and sits down. “Momma, can I use this?” she says picking up a cookie cutter.  I tell her yes, and she smooshes the new play dough down with the cookie cutter.

I lean down and give her a kiss, and she looks up at me and says, “Bye, Momma.  I love you.”

I cried the entire way home.  I know, I’m pregnant and over emotional.  She is such a big girl!  I love her so much and I am so proud of her!  I just hope that she is in a good mood and had a good day when I pick her up from school in 2 hours.

I have Gestational Diabetes

Well, the title says it all. This has been one crappy week.  First, I had to switch my daughter’s schools, unexpectedly.  Then, I got the call that I failed the 3 hour test. My fasting numbers were normal, but my 1-3 hour numbers were 212, 207, and 154. I am one big emotional wreck.

So, first the story about my daughter’s school. Well, she’s 2 and since she turned 2, she’s been going to a Mom’s Day Out program that we love.  But, this year, because their enrollment is down, they were putting the 2 year olds with the 1 year olds. Jade needs older kids to thrive. She acts like those she’s around the most, and with the baby coming, I can’t have her acting like a baby. So, this year, she will be attending St. Mary’s Preschool.  It’s a great school, and it is where we were going to send her next year, but I guess we needed to go a year early. The big deal is that I hated leaving my friend, who runs the MDO program, and I wasn’t ready to spend the extra money.

Then, I found out I had gestational diabetes.  My doctor has referred me to the Maternal Fetal Medicine department at Winnie Palmer Hospital. I’m now just waiting for them to call me to set up my appointment.  I wish they would just call me so I can get moving on this and figure out what’s going on. I’m scared that I might need insulin to control my sugars, since I feel awful when I just have the smallest amount of carbohydrates.

Talk about an emotional week.

It’s a boy!

Can you believe it?! We’re having a boy!  I am so freaked out!

Well, we went to have an ultrasound and talk with the high risk doctor at 16 weeks, and we got lucky.  Our little bundle cooperated and we found out early what we’re having. It was very exciting.

I’m a little nervous.  Tomorrow, I’m going in for my 1-hour screening for gestational diabetes. We’re doing it early because I’ve been having issues with blacking/passing out after I eat some times.  It’s scary, but I kind of hope that it comes back positive.  Then, at least I’ll know what is causing it, and I can get it under control.

Jade is doing awesome! She sings. She dances. She asks hundreds of questions a day.  She sits down with books and reads them to me.  She can identify every letter already, at 2 1/2!!!

And, I’ve started getting a little crafty.  I’m making matching outfits for Jade and her cousins for when they come to visit this fall.  Each girl is getting a tutu (red, white, and black … for Minnie Mouse), and then each cousin, including Anderson, will get a shirt with their name and a Mickey head on it.  So far, I have 2 tutus done, and 2 of the screens ready to be printed for the shirts.

So, since we got back from vacation, I’ve been busy.  Between blacking/passing out, and playing and having fun with Jade, I’m trying to be crafty.

And, Thursday is Jeremy’s birthday. So, for anyone who reads this and knows my husband, wish him a happy birthday this week!

Vacation fun

Today is Jeremy’s first day back to work after vacation, and I’m exhausted.  He has been so great and so much help, if you ignore the constant nagging to drink more water, and the constant questions about how I’m feeling.  I’m missing having him around.  I’m a very lucky girl to have such a helpful husband.

But, vacations must end, and we’re back to the busy summer grind.  Today, Jade started gymnastics.  She had fun, but it wore her out quickly.  So, I’m hoping she naps for a long while.  Of course, part way through my nap, I got a phone call, so I’m up with no hope of falling back to sleep.

I’m starting to feel a little better.  I am still throwing up about every other day now, instead of multiple times a day, but it is an improvement.  I’m not getting over the utter exhaustion that comes with the pregnancy though.  I’m still waiting for that 2nd trimester burst of energy.

Well, no such luck on her sleeping long. She just walked into my room telling me that she had good dreams about Sandy and Zoe sleeping.

Heart beat

We heard our baby’s heartbeat today!  Oh, yes, did I mention, we’re pregnant, and we made it to hear the baby’s heartbeat this time.  We’re 11 weeks and 3 days.

I am super excited, but have been so sick for the past 7 weeks, and it’s only getting worse.  It is funny because I tried so hard for 2 years to lose weight and couldn’t, but since I’ve been pregnant, I’ve lost 7 pounds.  It’s terrible!

So, what has this pregnancy been like so far.  Well, at 6 weeks, I couldn’t keep down water and I was having bad stomach problems, so Jeremy took me to the hospital.  They put me on Zofran and that helped for a little while. I still felt terrible, but I at least wasn’t throwing up anymore.  That lasted about 2 weeks.

Then, I started throwing up again, usually about 2 or 3 times a day.  Always after a shower.  Always after a BM. Always after I bathed my daughter.  Then, at random other times throughout the day with no rhyme or reason.  I always felt sicker from 4 p.m. until I fell asleep.  I always felt sicker if I didn’t get a nap.  I always felt sicker if I drank water.

Then, at 11 weeks, I started getting the worst pains in my right butt cheek!  It hurts to walk, to stand up, to move.  Now, is it because I’m dehydrated, or something else, we don’t know.

To make things even worse, right in the middle of this, my grandfather died.

Now, this is significant, because my grandmother died 3 years ago, while I was pregnant with Jade.  Then, Sunday, I told my grandfather that I was pregnant, and on Monday he died.  I am trying to look at this on the bright side, but it is hard, because I LOVE my grandfather so much.  But, I tell myself, that my daughter was lucky enough to get my grandmother’s soul, and now my next baby is lucky enough to get my grandfather’s. It is a little comforting, but it doesn’t make me miss him any less.  Of course, at the funeral, my aunt had to point out I was just so emotional because of all of the pregnancy hormones. Ugh!

It does make me smile that I told my grandfather I was pregnant on Sunday and he died the next day, but at his funeral, a couple of his closest companions knew (and I’m not showing at all yet and they hadn’t spoken to anyone else that would have known).  That means, he was excited and told them in that one short day. My uncle told me he talked about how much he enjoyed our visit on Friday, too.  That man was such a great man!  He may have been grumpy. He may have been crass. He may have told the same stories over and over again, but he was kind and generous and loving.  Don’t tell my dad, but he is a lot like my grandfather, even though he’ll never admit it 

So, here’s to hoping this baby continues to grow well and that I will get some relief soon!

Fed up!

I am so fed up with feeling terrible. I would like to just have a few minutes where I don’t feel complete and total crap.  My poor daughter’s favorite thing to ask me now is “Mommy, does your tummy hurt?”

I am also fed up some people around me.  Don’t get me wrong, there are some very wonderful, helpful, and supportive people in my life.  But, there are a few who have me up at night wondering how things can be different. How can some people be so completely selfish and rude?!

I would love to cut out all rude and negative people from my life.  Can I do that?  Is it really an achievable goal?  Unfortunately, it is not.  So, I’m looking for ideas from my friends and fans.  When I’m already down and out, how do I co-exist in a world where these negative people play such a big role in my life?

On a more positive note:  My daughter is wonderful.  She is a stinker, and she’s taking advantage of me not feeling well. She’s testing to see what she can get away with. But, she’s 2, and that is to be expected. She’s also learning so much.  She can identify almost all of her letters and 0-9 of her numbers.  She knows about a quarter of the sounds the letters make too.  I am amazed by her every day. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a smart girl.  I’m going to Michigan in a couple of weeks, and I’m going to check my baby book to see how far ahead of me she was.