Look What Nana Did!

Nana is the MacDaddy's mom (Mac's paternal grandmother). And she is wonderful -- she washed ALL of the clothes we have. All the gazillion outfits that Gigi bought, that Nana bought, and that I bought. Not only did she wash them and fold them, she sorted them by size and put them in baggies for me! Now I can see how much I have for different sizes! Yay! Thank you, Nana!

Don't worry, I plan on selecting a few cute ones and posting photos, eventually...

26 Weeks!

I feel like I literally grew overnight! Seriously, this morning I woke up feeling bigger than I did yesterday. And based on the picture, I look like it, too!

So I only have 14 weeks until my due date. To put that in perspective, a college semester is 16 weeks. The MacDaddy and I talked about that last week (when there were 15 weeks left) and I think it startled him a little.

I also have less than 100 days left -- 98 days as of today! Of course, I figure we might as well call it 105 days. I figure I'll go late and have to be induced after a week.

Over the past week, I've definitely noticed signs that I'm getting bigger. While I was out of town, I used quite a few bathroom stalls, and in some of the tiny ones, I found it difficult to maneuver myself in and out. More specifically, I found it difficult to maneuver my belly in and out of the stalls.

I've also started to have back pain. Fortunately, I had my first prenatal massage this weekend. It was well timed and heavenly. If only I could have one every day. I'll have another one at the end of July, so I've got that going for me!

On the brighter side, I finally got a maternity swimsuit and tried swimming! It was soooo pleasant -- a great way to exercise without putting pressure on my feet or my back! (Don't worry, Gigi -- we swam after dark or before 9 am, and wore plenty of spf 55 during the daylight.) In the next couple of weeks, I may start trading off the morning dog walks with the MacDaddy in favor of more swimming -- especially as it gets hotter.

Next week I have to take my glucose tolerance test. For those who don't know, it's essentially a test for gestational diabetes. I get to drink a "glucola shake," which I understand tastes like a flat orange crush. Then they draw blood. Then they tell me whether I get to keep eating sweets for the following 12 weeks.

Know what's funny? The instructions say, "Normally during pregnancy you should be avoiding sugars. Before the test, eat normally." What?! No one told me to avoid sugars during pregnancy! I've decided this instruction should be translated to, "Before the test, avoid having cinnamon rolls and/or ice cream. Have some scrambled eggs."

Also next week: I will officially be in my third trimester -- the home stretch!

The MacDaddy's Gettin' Excited!

Over the past week, the MacDaddy has been getting even more excited about our baby boy on the way. He felt another kick, and this one he could immediately identify as a kick -- he grinned instantly! So gratifying, and not at all painful for me!

Also, he ordered a book. (Background: he's in the Amazon Vine program, which allows him to order books and other merchandise for FREE, but he has to submit a review. This is one of those books.)

What book, you ask? This one:


Previously, I had come to terms with the fact that the MacDaddy was doing no research in preparation for becoming a parent. Although it's so unlike him to avoid research, I figured:

a. He's a natural with kiddos.
b. He learned quickly when it came to training the dog.
And most importantly,
c. This way, I get to do all the research, choose what I like, and then instruct him on the one and only, correct way to raise Mac.

So this does throw a wrench in my plan to become the MacDictator. In any event, it didn't stop me from purchasing a t-shirt yesterday for Mac that says, "Dad's the BOSS until Mom comes home."

Really, I'm happy to see the MacDaddy getting more excited. Besides, he already told me he wants me to read the book and let him know which chapters to ignore.

Coming Home Outfit and Scarlett O'Hara

Yay! I came home from San Diego to find a package containing Mac's potential coming home outfit!



Look at the really cute doughboy collar and the embroidered anchors:



It's so adorable -- I loooove the sailor theme. Even though the MacDaddy thinks it's silly to put an Arizona boy in a sailor suit. But I think a cowboy costume would be too casual for coming home.

It's just "Candidate No. 1" for now. I think Gigi is still looking, just in case...

Meanwhile, I'm starting to develop a new perspective on baby clothes. All my life, I've looked at baby clothes and thought they were so adorable because they're so tiny. But when I looked at this outfit, which is supposedly a "newborn" size, I was appalled that it's so huge. I even held it up to my belly:



There's going to be something this gigantic in my belly? Keep in mind, this is just the body. The head, arms and legs are going to take up even more room! I'm hoping this outfit is going to be baggy on Mac...

Even worse? My mom keeps talking about how our family has "big babies," threatening that Mac will be a 10-pounder who might not even fit in "newborn" clothes very well. What?!

This is starting to sound even more ridiculous than cramming 2 adults, one baby, one dog and one cat into a 2-bedroom condo. I'm starting to envision my body as a tiny little studio apartment in New York City. And someone wants to move in with a king-sized bed and an oversized sectional sofa with built-in recliners...

I've decided to revert to my Southern Belle roots. In the immortal words of Scarlett O'Hara, "I'm not going to think about that right now. I'll think about that tomorrow."

25 Weeks!

Today I'm 25 weeks pregnant, and not much new to report. I only have 15 weeks until Mac's due date, which doesn't seem very long.

I had a doctor appointment on Friday, and everything looks great. Mac is measuring right on time, and his heart rate is in the 150's, which is just right!

Tomorrow, Mac and I are heading to San Diego for a few days. We won't have much time for sight-seeing. Still, it'll be nice to get out of the heat -- the forecast for Thursday is 112 in Phoenix.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the great fathers out there, especially those who are teaching the rest of us how to be great parents! I also want to wish the MacDaddy a happy father's day, even though he doesn't feel like one quite yet.

The MacDaddy is already a great dad: he has taken such good care of me (like when I'm sick), which is also helping Mac. And he's already making big plans for when Mac is here--father/son activities, important books to read, college funds. He is even starting to clear out his library to make room for Mac--and to shorten his reading list to make time for him.

I'm proud of the MacDaddy. I always knew he'd make a wonderful father. There's nothing better than a man who proves me right!

Test post

Just testing out my new phone!

This is only a test. If this had been a real post, more information would have been provided.

24 Weeks!

Yes, I am officially 24 weeks pregnant. Well, 24 weeks, 1 day pregnant, as I write this. So that means:

• The MacDaddy finally felt his first outside kick yesterday! I was so excited! I've been feeling these kicks all this time, and just over the last week started to notice I could feel them on the outside, too, but I couldn't predict them. Yesterday, it felt like Mac was practicing for his own World Cup, so I called for the MacDaddy and put his hand there. He finally felt something! But he was unimpressed. Pfft. I guess he was expecting a genuine World Cup kick. I'm not sure I'm looking forward to impressing the MacDaddy. That might actually hurt me a little.
  
• Man, my heartburn is killing me. Indigestion, really. I get it all -- heartburn, acid reflux, whatever. I just wish I could find Tums in a yummy flavor, like "chocolate peanut butter ice cream" or "BBQ ribs," instead of "fruit-flavored chalk." And to make matters worse, the nurse from my insurance company threatened me last week. She said that it will get worse as Mac gets bigger. Great...
  
• Officially, Mac has at least a 50% chance of survival if he arrives early. And the odds increase with every day. But as I've said before, I highly doubt that the MacDaddy and I could produce a child who shows up early for anything.
• Still liking my size. In fact, I'm currently in denial that I will get much bigger. Just let me live in my dream-world a little longer, imagining that I won't ever develop serious back pain, have trouble squeezing through tight (or not-so-tight) spaces, get swollen feet, lose my sense of balance, etc., etc., etc. And I'm sure that list is nowhere near complete, but those of you who know better, just let me live in ignorance.

So there you have it!

Cheyenne, Wyoming

Cheyenne was interesting. I told the MacDaddy that in a few years, it might be an interesting place to take Mac -- on the way to someplace else. They do have some train stuff, and the cowboy boots. In July, they have North America's largest outdoor rodeo. (I'm wondering if that means there's a larger one on another continent...)

So a few of the more interesting sights:

These trees are everywhere. In fact, this photo is of the trees surrounding the swimming pool. Who puts Christmas trees next to a swimming pool?!


And here are the cowboy boots I promised to show you:

The one on the left has autographs of all of Wyoming's governors. (I think some of them are forged or copied. No, I don't think they brought governors back from the dead to sign the boot.) The one on the right has pictures showing all the stuff to do in Cheyenne. A little bare, huh?

Here's a close-up of the one on the right. I guess one of the things to do in Cheyenne is "go to the local community college."

I told the MacDaddy that if he got a job there, I could tell people I married "the Man from Laramie." Heehee.

And here's a photo of Mac and the MacMommy next to a boot!

Yup, I chose the poker boot.

Here is the list of places that Mac has been:

Tucson, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Cheyenne, Denver, Austin.

And next week, we can add San Diego! Also, on both Wednesday and Friday of last week, he and I were in three states in one day! (Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming.) Such a well traveled baby!

P.S. I promise my 24-week post is coming soon. I still have to take the photo (which will be at 24 weeks, 1 day, but who's counting?) and then I'll post.

Headin' Out

I'm packing up to take Mac to (outside) Denver and Cheyenne for a couple of days. You won't hear from me for a few days, but I'm hoping to return with photos with giant cowboy boots!

If you work with a pregnant woman . . .

It is a BAD idea to store a 40-pack of ice cream sandwiches, drumsticks, and chocolate ice cream bars in the work freezer. Just sayin'...

I guess whoever did that is gonna learn the hard way!

23 Weeks!

Today I am officially 23 weeks pregnant. What does that mean? Well...

• I'm wearing almost all maternity clothes. I have a few longer t-shirts that I still wear, but this weekend, I started to notice you can see the bottom of the maternity band on my pants -- so they're not long enough to cover my bump! My favorite are the dresses -- they show off my bump, keep me cool, and look professional for work. In fact, there are a couple I wish I could wear after Mac is here!
• I'm getting big enough that I actually had my first belly rub (from a co-worker).
• I'm also big enough that co-workers (who haven't heard the announcement) are noticing that I'm pregnant. Yay! I no longer look like I need to cut back on the beers!
• I'm feeling Mac kick and punch every day. It's not very regular, but I feel it more often when I lie down, when I bend over while sitting down, or when I haven't eaten in a while.
• I have heartburn every hour or two. The good news is I eat all the spicy food I want. After all, when drinking water or not eating anything can give you heartburn, why not just take some Tums and eat what you like?
• I frequently (3x/week) have trouble sleeping. Usually, this means I wake up at 2:30 and can't get back to sleep for a couple of hours. Last night, it meant that I could not sleep until after midnight. It's not because I don't need the sleep -- because when I get up the next day, I'm so exhausted it almost hurts to move!
• Next week I reach viability -- meaning Mac has a chance of survival if he shows up early. (But if he's anything like me or the MacDaddy, I don't think we need to worry about him showing up early, do we?)
  

Potty Training

I know it's a little early to be thinking of potty training Mac, BUT my sister just started potty training her two-and-a-half-year-old son yesterday. Her report: twice at the movies, once at Java Jungle, and twice at home.

It's fabulous that she got him to use the potty FIVE times on day one. But it's AWESOME that she took him to the movies and Java Jungle (bouncing bladders, anyone?) on DAY ONE of potty training! She started potty training on multiple toilets -- in public! Amazing!

So I told her that in a couple of years, I'm buying her a plane ticket to come out here and potty train Mac for us. Sounds to me like Aunt Coco could do it in a weekend!

Belly Pics!

It's the moment Tiffy's been waiting for! You get to see my growing belly!

I have a whole series to post right now -- and I promise to post them regularly in the future.

16 weeks:

NOTE: This was taken when I was 16 WEEKS PREGNANT. This is NOT a BEFORE shot!


18 weeks:



20 weeks:



22 weeks:



So there you have it. I think right now I'm a pretty nice size. Doesn't always feel great to bend over, but other than that it's pretty manageable. And I'm obviously pregnant -- as opposed to looking like I need to lay off the beers for a while. I had my first belly rub (from a friend, not a stranger) this week, and last week I had people realize that I was pregnant just from my appearance.

Well, Mac is kicking, and I think that means he wants some breakfast. I do, too. Funny, my stomach never growls anymore -- I just get kicked or punched. Don't worry, MacDaddy -- it's like being kicked or punched by a Ken doll (well, a plush one), so it really doesn't hurt at all. Yet.

Off to breakfast!

Mac's First Baby Pictures

Here's one of the first photos we ever got to see of Mac:



Isn't he an adorable little alien? It was taken at 8 weeks, 3 days.

And here are a few from 20 weeks, 1 day:


Sucking his thumb...


Smiling at the camera -- I think he's definitely morphed from "alien" to "skeletor."

And for those ultrasound aficianados:


His feet! (from the bottom, of course)

Where will Gigi sleep?

Mac, the MacDaddy and I are so fortunate that Gigi has offered to come and stay with us for a WHOLE MONTH right after Mac is born! That means the MacMommy won't have to worry so much about all the laundry Mac creates. Or panic when she realizes that holding your sister's sleeping infant is NOT practice for actually becoming a mom.

But where is she going to sleep? Last time she stayed with us, she insisted on sleeping on the sofa, because she likes to sleep with the TV on (and we only have one TV). So she got to sleep on this:



As much as we appreciate the fact that Audra & Richard donated this to us (in much better condition than you see here, mind you), you have to admit that it's pretty monstrous in our tiny little condo. (The MacDaddy could lie down on it flat and the entire length of his body fit between both arms. And the Doggie-wog could lie next to him without hanging off.)

Not to mention we've really worn it into the ground.

So I was pretty excited to get a nice, new little loveseat:



Ain't it purty? But as much as I love the new loveseat, it's not nearly as accommodating for sleeping guests.

The hope is that the new, unworn, tiny loveseat will make our tiny little cave, er, 2-bedroom condo look nice and roomy to a potential buyer. (And we just had one check it out this morning -- and yes, I left the tags on the arm. Pfft.) And then we'll sell the cave/condo and buy a nice, roomy MacMansion -- or at least a house with enough room for a nursery, a study, and a guest room for Gigi! Fingers crossed!

The MacFamily

Introducing Mac's family:



That would be me (the MacMommy), the MacDaddy, and the Doggie-wog. Yes, this is a "birthday" photo for Oz. Yes, we got him a cake. It was all the MacDaddy's idea. So this is what Mac has to look forward to. Yes, Mac, if the Doggie-wog has to do birthday pictures, you better believe you will!

And here's the only family member who doesn't have to do family photos:



Mr. McKitty. Don't get any ideas, Mac. Just because you both have Scottish names doesn't mean you're going to get away with half of what the cat does.

Check it out!

I'm not even born yet, and I'm already blogging! Actually, I'm making the MacMommy do it for me. Which I think shows I'm even more advanced -- already manipulating the MacMommy!

Now, on to my plans for the MacDaddy...