So very much to be thankful for...

It has struck me lately how amazingly lucky we are! And, although I was a bit too pregnant and grumpy on actual Thanksgiving to see it all, I really do have so very much to be thankful for!

I can say it aloud now that our perfect bundle is home safe and sound with us, but I think I was holding my breath waiting for something bad to happen my entire pregnancy. I was secretly terrified each step of the way and really felt like everything was just too easy, and maybe too good to be true. First, getting pregnant with Violet was so easy (too easy?!) and I just couldn't believe that we could be that lucky. I didn't publicize much of it, but it did take me a while to get pregnant with Annalise, and there were times that I really didn't think I'd be able to have kids. Now, as I sit here with a sleeping baby in her swing and a napping toddler in her crib, I feel like someone really needs to pinch me! WE ARE SO LUCKY! 2 perfectly healthy (albeit grumpy) pregnancies and 2 perfectly healthy and happy babies in just over 2 years! Given the struggles that so many have creating their families, we are seriously blessed. Things may be crazy, and our life has definitely been flipped upside down, but I couldn't be happier about all of it. #familycomplete!

Welcome little Miss Violet James!

Look, but don't touch

Despite a pretty steadfast rule of no Christmas til at least December (and usually until after Brad's bday-- so that he gets his proper due), we broke down and got the tree on Sunday. Really, I just wanted it done before the baby came. Plus, I AM trying to rush the holidays this year... the quicker they come, the quicker this kid comes!

Anyway, the tree is gorgeous (are they ever not?) and Annie was a very good girl while we were putting it up and decorating it. BUT, it took her all of about 20 minutes to realize that the tree was possibly the coolest toy she'd ever seen, and a giant thing with branches full of trinkets to play with was really too much to pass up. We of course tried to reason with the tiny 17 month old child, but that was not happening. After chasing her for half an hour and trying to outwit her devilish plans to hijack yet another ornament, we decided something had to be done. And, short of locking Annie out of the living room for the next month (which seemed slightly over the top), we opted for plastic! A la Grandma's sofa set covered in plastic to protect it from the rotten kids, we put up a plastic barrier in front of the tree so she can't get to it anymore. It does slightly take away from the ambiance of it all, but are you really allowed ambiance when you have a toddler in the house anyway? Ambiance schambiance- at least we have a tree and this big ol preggie is no longer spending all her time chasing a little monster with an ornament obsession...

Tree post-plasticization 

(definitely could be worse... in the right light, you can't even see it)

It's not nice to be bitchy to the VERY pregnant lady

I had, yet another, OB/GYN appointment this morning. Seriously, they make you live there during the last trimester. Up to this point, I've seen (and liked- for the most part) just about everyone in the practice, but today was certainly an exception. After waiting in the exam room for almost 35 minutes, oh so comfortably disrobed from the waist down, Dr. (shall we call her) BitchFace walked in. There was no 'sorry you waited so long' (which should be automatic), no small talk, no nothing. The entire visit, including the exam took 4 minutes and proceeded like this:

Dr. BitchFace walks in: Hello. Any contractions? (Note: no niceties.)
Me: No. Lots of cramping but no contractions.
Dr. BitchFace: uh huh. (Thank you for acknowledging the cramping...) And you're due soon, right. (Hello, check my chart oh thorough one)
Me: Yes. Saturday.
Dr. BitchFace (looking at the chart): Your blood pressure is fine and you've gained another pound. (Yes- thank you, I was aware of that when I was weighed, but definitely a helpful thing to point out...)
Dr. BitchFace: And were you dilated at your last visit? (Uh- again, info YOU should have?)
Me: Yes. 1.5 cm
Dr. BitchFace: OK, now I'll do the internal exam. ...painfully digging around in my anatomy... Nope. Nothing. I'd give you just over a cm.
Me: (crushed) OK. And... (I start to ask a question... I had several.)
Dr. BitchFace (interrupting): Make an appointment for next week. Maybe you'll go into labor before then, but if not, they've probably already scheduled your induction. (huh?) You can discuss that next week though... Have a nice day. EXIT Bitchface.

Seriously? Rude people piss me off so much, and rude people with their gloved hands painfully poking around in my inner most regions especially piss me off. What benefit, to either of us, comes from you being curt with me? I've done nothing to you. I was on time for my visit. And not for nothing but I'm a wee bit hormonal these days. Being nice goes such a long way... You would think a WOMAN, dealing non-stop with pregnant ladies, would have a bit more understanding of that fact! Instead, she just succeeded in ruining my morning...

Now for the inevitable conclusion to this story: You know Dr. Bitchface is totally going to be on call when I go into labor. Won't that be lovely...

Diary of a whiny pregnant lady

5 days and counting until D day. The nursery is done, all the baby's clothes/blankets/misc. stuff are freshly washed and put away, teeny tiny diapers and wipes are ready in the drawer, hospital bag is in the car, babysitters for Annie are on stand-by, the baby car seat is ready to go, and work has been pretty much fully transitioned. All we need to do now, (and I use the term 'we' generously) is HAVE THIS BABY! As of last Monday, I was only 1.5 cm dilated, but- as is the nature of all of this- anything can happen at any minute. ...Aaaand, this minute would be nice!

In classic 'Amy style', I have made this whole thing that much more torturous by being totally sure that I would have her early. I said I didn't want a December baby, so obviously the little lady would obey... Add that to the fact that I have been having cramps for the last 2 weeks, and I have convinced myself daily that 'today is the day'. Alas, the cramps seem to be doing little more than annoying me and my daily disappointments have just served to make me that much grumpier. I really think I must be the world's worst pregnant person. I wish I was that wonderfully glowy pregnant lady, but all I am is a whiny, swollen, grumpy curmudgeon. Michelle Duggar, I am not!

It's funny, I am so ready and DONE at this point that my labor fears are almost completely gone. Guess that's all part of the cosmic plan: Get you to the point where nothing could be worse than pregnancy prolonged, and the idea of labor becomes completely do-able.

So, the way I see it, very worst case scenario we have 2 weeks left until baby. If I don't go into labor on my own, the doctor would induce between a week and 10 days after my due date, which would put us in the hospital on or around Brad's birthday. I really was hoping to not have another December birthday in the house but not so sure I have much control over that at this point. ...The best laid plans...

Project Nursery: COMPLETE

Now all we need it baby!
 

Pic of finished glider. My mother-in-law made the cushion and throw pillow and I did the ottoman. Not too shabby for a $30 POS, huh...

Jane made two throw pillows, so I was able to add one to the crib as well. I love this fabric.

Just a wee dash of cuteness to start off the day!

James it is!!!!!(?)

Violet James is the clear winner so far!

My favorite part is my Dad voted against 'James'. (He likes Elizabeth). Ha! If this lady comes tonight, she'll be Violet James (after my father, who chose a different name ;) Of course, if I have to wait too much longer, who knows what we'll come up with...

1 cm dilated as of today's doc appointment. That's something at least. Send me all your best labor inducing thoughts. I'M READY!

Happy Fall!

The middle name dilema

BG 2.0 is due in 22 days and we are still not set on a middle name. So, I'm throwing this out to you guys. Please see the poll I set up on the right hand side of the blog and select the name you like best.

Here's the rationale for the 3 names that are in the running:

1. Violet JAMES: As Violet was supposed to be a boy (insubordinate baby already!), her middle name was also supposed to be 'Douglas' for my Dad. However, Douglas doesn't have the same ring for a pretty little lady. So, we're trying to find another shout out to my Dad. Dad's middle name is 'James' and I think there is something really cute about the name. It's obviously masculine, but since Violet is so feminine, it may just counteract it nicely? Also, my other two uncles on Dad's side also have the middle name 'James', so it does become a family name. Whatcha think?

2. Violet JUTTON: Not much explanation needed for this one. Obviously my maiden name and thus a shout out to my family in general. I like the idea but it's definitely the least nice sounding of the 3. (As Gram said when I was home last week- 'Jutton, ech... that's ugly'... leave it to Gram ;) However, it probably has the most significance.

3. Violet ELIZABETH: In the vein of trying to find something that sounds pretty together, I came up with Elizabeth:
1. It's a great name.
2. I've always thought it would be great to have a name with a literary connection and my ALL TIME favorite book is Pride & Prejudice. The two oldest sisters (amazingly awesome characters each with great qualities) are Jane and Elizabeth. If we go with Elizabeth, our girls then have the middle names Jane and Elizabeth, which is kinda awesome if you ask me.
3. My sister-in-law (Beth) is Elizabeth and Mady's middle name is Elizabeth. Thus there is also a family connection.

BTW

For those of you avidly following the adventures of baby girl 2.0, I would like to report that, as of my sonogram on Monday, she is head down and ready to go! (She was breach as of my last sono, so this is definitely good news for going au natural... and by 'natural'- I mean vaginally, but most certainly WITH the lovely lovely drugs.) Oh man, I'm getting palpitations just thinking about labor again. I was so NOT nervous with Annalise, but- now that I know what I'm in for- I'm kinda shaking in my boots this time around.

Project Nursery (cont.)

Here's my newest crafty project. I wanted a mobile for above the changing table, but couldn't find anything that I liked. Our friend had made an adorable one for Annie, so I started thinking that I could/would make one, but I really had no idea what I wanted to do. THEN, I saw this wreath at Ikea.

Apparently it's supposed to be Christmas decoration, but it really got my wheels turning. I bought the wreath and a couple other matching decorations, reoriented everything, wired it with fishing line, and viola! A pretty gray textile mobile that matches the room perfectly! Yay for Ikea!

Congratulations Mr. President

UPDATE: I am very wordy, I get it. Sometimes I even bore myself. If I bored you with all this, Bill Maher just published a blog post saying similar sentiments to me (or at least what I said in the second bullet), in just a couple paragraphs. I recommend: http://www.real-time-with-bill-maher-blog.com/real-time-with-bill-maher-blog/2012/11/8/why-the-republicans-lost.html

MY ORIGINAL POST:
I have to say I was pretty surprised by the way everything went down. I had actually prepared myself for a democratic loss, so the ass whoopin that occurred last night came as quite a shock! A fabulous shock, but a shock nonetheless. Now the question is, where do we go from here!?

• Watching CNN last night, I heard one of the pundits (who I think was Republican) say 'Great, now nothing changes'. And, I have to say, that's a somewhat scary notion. The president and the Congress have been at a virtual stale mate for so long and the partisan posturing has been so over the top that very little has been accomplished in the latter part of the last administration. So, will things change? Mr. President, I hope you take this win with a grain of salt and realize that things really do need to be shaken up. Congress, please stop the pissing match and let's actually do something. With the notion of a 'fiscal cliff' looming large, we need strong politicians who plan to work together more than we may have ever needed them before. Speaking of a 'fiscal cliff', anyone notice the stock market today? We (the majority of Americans) may be happy about an Obama victory, but there are a lot of people (with a majority of the money) out there who are not feeling the same way.
• MSNBC has been asking the question all morning 'Who is to blame for this loss? Mitt Romney or the Republican party?' and I feel VERY strongly that the Republican party, and it's pandering to right wing extremists is 100% to blame for this loss. Obviously Mitt Romney was the face of the party, but if the party didn't come with so many strings, maybe things would have gone differently. As I see it, although this election was said to be about the economy, (with foreign policy/defense a close second), I truly believe that social issues won (or lost as the case may be) this election. Despite the fact that social issues were not even discussed in the 3 presidential debates (which drove me crazy), Americans showed last night that they have been paying attention and that they care about health care, women's rights, and (as was seen by the passing of gay marriage in 3 states last night)- equality for all people. And, because the Republican party- a party supposedly based on the notion of SMALL government- hypocritically insists on inappropriately extending itself to restrictive social ideals- many Americans are just not able to even consider casting a Republican vote. Until the Republican party begins distancing themselves from the wackdaloon Teaparty and the crazy conservative Christian right, I don't see things changing for them at the polls.
• I'm proud to be a Marylander today. Maryland, Maine and Washington (state) are now the first 3 states to legalize gay marriage via the popular vote. (The other states that already have legal gay marriage, like CT, did so via legislative action.) Previously 32 states had gay marriage on the ballot and ALL 32 referendums were cast down. With the 3 states voting to affirm gay marriage last night, I think we are seeing a positive swing towards acceptance and openness. At the end of the day, love is love. And, even if you don't like it, what do you really care? Who are any of us to tell anyone else who they can or can't marry? I, for one, am very very happy that restrictive and discriminatory laws are being voted down.
• It struck me last night that one of the most impressive things about Obama, and what I'm sure will become part of his legacy, is the fact that he has managed to involve Americans of every background in the political process. He has effectively taken the vote out of the hands of what was once only middle/upper-middle class whites and given a voice to minorities across the country. Women, hispanics, blacks, young folks, and other minorities came out in record numbers and truly did win the election last night! Power to the people, man!

Here's to hoping for 4 years of increasing prosperity, economic stability, and bipartisan comprise! ...A girl can dream...

Project Nursery

Violet's room is FINALLY just about all together. Here are some before and after shots. Stay tuned for more as I continue to set up the room.

BEFORE:
Boring room with a splotchy yellow paint job. The gray on the wall were the different samples we got to determine the color we were going to paint. (we went with the lightest shade)

AFTER:
Pretty light gray to counteract/neutralize all the pastels I can't help but gravitate towards for a little girl's room. Painted white dresser with additional of pretty pink knobs and sweet white crib (which converts into a toddler bed AND a full size bed).

The best part is that we hardly spent any money. We did have to buy the crib, but the dresser was part of our bedroom set that wouldn't fit in our room (that Brad painted white), the shelves were left in the house when we moved in, the glider was a Craigslist purchase for $30!, and the curtains and curtain rods we already had.

Dresser- Cherry colored dresser turned pretty bright white to match her crib. I found the adorable little pink knobs at Target, and bought some pretty matching clear ones for the closet. The curtain rods (still to be hung) also have the matching clear glass-esque knobs.

note- the green carpet runs through all 3 main bedrooms in the house. (The guest bedroom was blessed with pretty hardwood.) Wouldn't have been my choice, but it's nice and plush, and with neutral walls- really doesn't offend me too much!


Bookshelves -all we had to do was buy the white scroll brackets to hang the shelves. (the previous owners had their shelves up on an ugly white track)

Crafty homemade decor
V-I-O-L-E-T wall hanging- Letters bought at Michael's covered in fabric I had hanging around (from doing Annie's room last year). My fingertips are burned from the glue gun and I think I have a couple holes in my body from the staple gun, but it looks pretty great if I do say so myself.

Flower art- using a pillow sham I bought from Pottery Barn kids (on sale) for the fabric, I cut out the flowers and put them in simple (cheap) white IKEA frames.

Glider- to be continued... I bought a crappy looking glider off Craigslist for $30. The bones were there, but the wood left a bit to be desired and the cushions were mismatched and horribly ugly. Brad painted it white to match the room and I found an awesome fabric on Etsy to redo the ottoman and seat cushion. Just waiting on the fabric to be delivered so I can get to gettin with my craftiness!

We are pretty much all the way there and the countdown is really on now... All we need is baby!

Came home last night to find a nice little 'welcome to the neighborhood' candy package from neighbors. It was addressed to 'Brad and Kim'. To alleviate awkwardness, should I just go with it and decide to let them call me 'Kim'? ;)

Happy Halloween

We went trick or treating in our neighborhood. She loved it so much and wanted to carry her pail everywhere. She cried when we got home because she wanted to go back out- until we gave her a snickers, which dried up all tears!

Sandy Schmandy and a raging case of homesickness

• Given the fact that Hurricane Sandy devastated NY, NJ and parts of CT, I really shouldn't knock her. She was one hell of a bitch. But, down here, despite all the hoopla, we got nuthin. A lot of wet leaves all over the place that we'll have to take care of, but that is certainly nothing to complain about. We never lost power and cable was only out for one night. Brad's office was closed on Monday and Tuesday, so really, all Sandy did was provide us with a lovely long weekend and some much needed chill family time! We fared very well- just wish I could say that for the rest of the east coast! The pics of NYC are freaking insane!

• Being in CT this past weekend was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, of course, in that I got to spend time with my wonderful family and friends.(And see my beautiful cousin marry a fabulous guy!) A curse in that I'm now back home and find myself very homesick for CT. I'm sure pregnancy hormones are making it all worse, but our quick trip afforded me just enough time to want more time with all my favorite people! Why can't we all live closer together? It's amazing how life works... I don't regret a second, but sometimes I wake up and think "I live in Maryland!? How the hell did that happen!?" With so many wonderful people all in one place, how did I manage to get so far away? I guess it's just the way things are, but I do wish getting together more often was possible. Who's up for a move to MD?

VP debate and Prez showdown #2

So what'd y'all think? Any surprises? Since I've admitted to being a wanna-be political pundit, please allow me to pundit-ize:

• Ryan was less of a smarmy bastard than I expected him to be! Now, don't get me wrong, I can't say I like the dude, but I do think he did a good job of presenting himself as much more human that I've ever seen him/heard him. I expected him to make my skin crawl, and I actually found him to be somewhat personable. Wrong (or 'right' as the case may be). But personable.
• Joltin' Joe pissed me off a bit. I found him to be, although correct in most of his statements, incredibly disrespectful. The smirk. The over-talk. The referring to Ryan as 'my friend'. Ryan may not be my favorite, but that should be Representative Ryan to anyone addressing him in a live political arena. He was elected and I think he deserves the respect of being addressed by the rank he holds! This has been a diatribe of mine for a while though... I think one of the biggest problems with politics these days is that respect is completely lacking from political forums. I may refer to the president as 'Obama' or the VP as 'Biden' (or the afore mentioned 'Joltin' Joe') but I do have a great respect for their positions and would NEVER call them anything but Mr. President of Mr. Vice President if I was speaking directly to them. This didn't start here, it's just a continuation of the political climate we are unfortunately living in. Have some respect people! Making a mockery of each other makes a mockery of our entire political system (which does a pretty good job of making a mockery of itself as it is).
• One the flip side, I thought Romney and Obama handled the respect card very well. If you noticed, it was nothing but 'President' and 'Governor'. Gold star for both right off the bat! And, if Romney was the clear winner during the first debate, I'd say you gotta give number 2 to Obama. The criticism that Obama slept through the first debate definitely did not apply here. He was energetic, empathic and concise. He made it very clear when he disagreed with Governor Romney and made some excellent points. And, somehow he managed to do it all without the air of disrespect that Biden brought to the table. I thought Romney did a pretty good job too. Although I still question a lot of what he says because he does seem to be changing his tune, he was pretty clear and concise. Basically, Obama had to defend his last 4 years and Romney had to defend his if-y math. In the end, not sure either 100% sold their side of the story. Who can get America on a better economic path? Well, it seems like it kinda comes down to philosophies...
• It's funny, I'm a pretty liberal gal. Socially- I'm as liberal as they come. (And in the end, that will have to define who I vote for because I am just too passionate about those issues.) But, due to the infiltration of Republicans into my inner-most circle, I have learned to open my mind and my ears to what the other side is saying. And, sometimes I gotta say, fiscally, it makes sense. (phew- that was painful) In the end, like I said above, it comes down to philosophy. How do we create jobs? Do we create jobs by giving tax breaks and incentives to those at the top, with the expectation that they are the job creators and will then be able to put more money into their companies and create new positions; or do we create jobs by giving tax breaks to the working class so they can pay their bills, stay afloat, be productive members of society, and have the money to go to school (and send their kids to school) and make a way for themselves? I have to say that I can see the conservative notion that tax cuts to the wealthy and large corporations potentially lead to job growth, which is desperately desperately needed in this country... but is that enough? Oh if only the conservatives didn't hold such reprehensible social views, I might actually be able to explore this notion further! 
• Of course, with the above said, it is interesting to note that currently Obama and Romney's economic/tax plans are not ALL THAT FAR apart. OK, I mean, they are different- and a couple percentage points make a huge difference when you are talking about millions of bazillions of dollars, but I was surprised to see that they are not as far apart as you would think. Maybe I was just a bit uneducated on the subject, but when I did some research, I was somewhat shocked by what I found.

• Both candidates want to lower corporate taxes, which I don't think most people realize. (It's kinda common sense though, how do you get companies to NOT go oversees where taxes are SO much lower, unless you give them incentive to stay.) Obama would lower the current 35% corporate tax rate to 28% (with manufacturing jobs lowered to 25%), while Romney would lower it overall to 25%. Obama wants to see capital gains taxes raised to 20% where Romney would keep them at 15%. 
• In terms of individual taxes, Obama wants to keep things as they are (six tax rates, based on your income: 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 36% and 39.6%) and Romney wants to lower all tax brackets (still based on income) by 20% (8%, 12%, 20%, 22.4%, 26.4%, and 28%). Definitely a big difference here. Also interesting to note is that the top 2% of people that both parties continue to refer to, is made up of individuals making 200K or more per year or families making 250K per year. I think so many of us assumed that the top 2% referred to multi-millionaire type people, and- although $250K is an astronomical number that most people can only aspire to- it is not close to being as high as I thought it was. Isn't it kinda crazy to think that 98% of this country makes less than 250K per year?
• Estate taxes and AMT (alternative minimum tax) are definitely a sticking point, where Romney would see both repealed entirely and Obama would keep them in place as they are. (If you are not sure what these are, check out the link at the bottom of this post. I had to do some research myself.) I can definitely see both sides on these issues. Should the wealthy be penalized above and beyond others just because they are wealthy? They are already taxed at a higher rate on their income. (insert sigh... 'poor poor rich people')  But, on the flip side, if you have it, shouldn't you feel obliged to share it? You certainly didn't get there by yourself, and there is definitely not an even playing field where other, less fortunate folks, could get to the same level without some serious luck or divine intervention! The 'American Dream' is much easier to aspire to if you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth! ..In the end, we need money to run this country, and it needs to come from somewhere. If we repeal estate and AMTs, where does the money come from? Once again insert Mitt's messy math. hmmm!
• Check out this site for more info. It's really good and completely fact based. (Not biased commentary -a la this blog-):
• http://www.bankrate.com/finance/taxes/tax-proposals-obama-vs-romney.aspx

• In the end, like I've said, I'm a liberal girl and Obama is my man. Planned parenthood funding, abortion rights, gay marriage, health care, and social services in general mean MUCH too much to me for me to overlook the despicable and hypocritical Republican views on the subjects. But, this liberal lady is starting to see that there is another side, and maybe, just maybe, the right is not ALL wrong!?
  shudder

Where'd that little baby go?

 Studious little lady loving life at library story time!

Little Miss Independent hiking through the woods.

House pics

We've officially been in our house since June 1st and, for the most part, we are all unpacked and decorated. We still have the office to do, and the new baby's room to finish, but here are a couple pics for those of you who have yet to see it!

Meltdown... priceless.

35 minutes to make delicious dinner for kid. 1 minute for her to decide to throw it all on the floor. 30 seconds for Elvis to eat it all. 1 second for this pregnant, hormonal mom to burst into tears. 

I miss wine.

Happy Birthday John Lennon

Sicky little baby

Poor Annalise is not feeling very well, but it's nothing a day or two of Doctor Mom prescribed fleece jammies, warm blankets, favorite stuffed animals, and TV vegging can't cure. Poor little bunny.

Yesterday:

 Today (clearly on the mend):

'Mack Truck Sayler'

Despite incessant complaints (by me) about this pregnancy, I really have felt pretty OK. I mean, I have heart burn and acid reflux and am getting very very tired and FAT, but over all, I really have been fine. And then I woke up this morning... After a terrible night of tossing and turning, I woke up to aches and pains all over the place. It truly feels like I'd been run over by a big rig while I slept. The culprit- 'Mack Truck Sayler'! This lovely lady is laying transverse and somehow, in the course of one night, caused every inch of me to hurt. My back, my side, my feet... I'm a truly pitiful person right now. Calgon, take me away?!

'Say it wasn't you'

Did you watch the debate last night? Was anyone as confused as I was about the fact that there seemed to be two democratic candidates on stage? There was Mitt Romney, Republican wolf in Democratic clothing, disgused as Grandma waiting for his prey. And then there was poor, unsuspecting Little Red Riding Hood Obama, happily trudging up to Grandma's house for a nice afternoon visit. No wonder he got pounced! Obama was prepared to fight against the platform that Romney has been running on for the last year, but instead he was hoodwinked (and borderline eaten alive) by a very suave, disguised Romney. When did Romney change all of his platforms? Romney does NOT plan to cut taxes for the wealthy? Huh? He's never heard of incentives being given to companies going over seas? What? He all of a sudden thinks that the money Obama allocated to green energy should have gone to... wait for it... hiring more teachers!? Hello!? This is not what he's been saying up to this point! So what's a poor Obama to do? He tried to agrue against Romney, and Romney just kept saying 'nope- you got it all wrong'. Kinda made Obama look like a dope, when in the end, it was Romney who was singing a different tune. It's hard to argue facts when facts are ever changing. Perhaps Romney got a last minute coaching session from Shaggy--- when the shit hits the fan, 'Say it wasn't you'... Link to Shaggy's "IT WASN'T ME"

Obama at a rally today in Denver:

Now, last night, we had our first debate. And when I got on stage, I met a very spirited fellow who claimed to be Mitt Romney. But it couldn't have been Mitt Romney -- because the real Mitt Romney has been running around the country for the last year promising $5 trillion in tax cuts that favor the wealthy. But the fellow on stage last night said he didn't know anything about that... You see, the man on stage last night – he doesn't want to be held accountable for what the real Mitt Romney's been saying for the last year. And that's because he knows full well that we don't want what he's been selling for the last year. Governor Romney may dance around his positions, but if you want to be President, you owe the American people the truth.

It will be interesting to see what Representative Ryan says next week in the VP debate. This dude talks quite a hard line and has an awful lot of ultra conservative ideals that make my blood boil. Regardless, I'll respect him a lot more if he just comes right out and says them!

How do "normal" people do it?

I had my 31 week baby appointment today and everything is fine and going along just as it should. This pregnancy has been completely uneventful and I have not had one actual medical issue. (Many many complaints, but no actual 'issues'.) However, because I was hospitalized at 34 weeks with Annie (due to 'suspected' low amniotic fluid- which several doctors afterwards told me was more likely a measurement issue than an actual issue), I now have to go in EVERY WEEK for a sonogram and a doctor's appointment. By the time you get in for the sono, then wait around for the doctor, it's always a 2 hour process. It's a damn good thing I have a lot of free time in life. Seriously, how do they expect 'normal' working people to do this, and for 2 months!? It's complete insanity.

With that said, I was talking to a friend of mine the other day who is pregnant and has opted for a midwife and a home birth. Now, I am NOT that earthy nor can I imagine going through labor without the lovely, lovely addition of an epidural. But, her midwife does not do all these sonograms and seemingly pointless doctor's appointments, which sounds absolutely wonderful. The theory is that she is healthy and there is no reason she shouldn't have a healthy pregnancy. The midwife relies on the mom-to-be to know her body enough to communicate any problems or issues. Wouldn't that be fabulous? I think somehow we need to find a happy medium. I would prefer a doctor and a hospital (with easy access to the all essential drugs), but it would be nice to not be treated like a medical anomaly who needs constant attention and follow-up. Dude, I'm just pregnant.

It's not a minivan, but...

As per the established pre-requisites for becoming a good upstanding suburbanite, the SUV has been purchased! We traded in the little zoom zoom yesterday for a big pimping 2009 Honda CR-V! I absolutely love it! It's gorgeous and I think we got a really great deal on it- including a very nice trade-in value for the Mazda. Brad was Mr. Suave when it came to the negotiations and, although I was pretty much just a brat throughout the entire process (chalk it up to pregnancy mood swings*?), we walked away with EXACTLY what we wanted. Yay new car.

(*Note to self: In 62 days, 'pregnancy mood swings' go back to just straight up being a bitch. Perhaps the 'Year of Amy to-do' should also include something about being nice to the nice people around me. hmm..)

2013: The Year of Amy

I've proclaimed it to be, so it must be!

I feel like I've been pregnant for years at this point. And, aside for the nearly 9 months between Annie and this one (at least 3 months of which was no picnic), I kinda have. That's a long time to feel like your body is not yours! (I know it's nothing in comparison to all you ladies out there who had oodles of babies, but, for me- it's been rough!) Since we only want 2 kids, after this little lady comes, I'm done! So... starting in 2013, I'm baaaaack! The timing should be perfect. I'll have the month of December to recoup, and then, starting January 2013, operation YEAR OF AMY is in full effect.

Year of Amy TO-DO list (version 1) ...to be updated as new I think of new, fabulous YEAR OF AMY things to add...

1. Reclaim my body! I'm tired of being pudgy and pregnant, or pudgy and post-partum. I want svelte Amy back (assuming there ever was a svelte Amy!?). I'm actually thinking I might do something somewhat drastic (Nutrisystem?) for the first couple of months to really jump start the process. Any one have any experience/suggestions on that? Hopefully big time diet, along with getting back to the gym, will get me back to where I need to be. I have a whole bag of my old 'skinny jeans' (in a gorgeous size 6) and my goal is to fit into them by my 36th birthday (which will be in December 2013). (God, 36!! that's just painful to write. Instead of 36, I think I shall henceforth refer to it as the 15th anniversary of my 21st birthday...)
2. BOOB JOB! I've never been happy with the girls, but pregnancy has really really taken a toll. So, once my body shrinks to an appropriate size (god willing), I would like my boobs to be plumped and perked to their appropriate places! I've been secretly looking into boob jobs since I was 18 years old, so- I think this is definitely high time. I'll probably need the whole shabang- lift, reconstruction and implants, but we shall see. Don't worry, I fully intend to share all the gory details... Would before and after pictures fall into the category of TMI?
3. Get OUT! Working from home (aka- never having to leave the house) can really make you feel like you are in a rut. And, although it's wonderful to have the flexibility I have, some days I think I might just pull my hair out! When you work from home, and then have a baby to care for at home, it's easy to find reasons to just stay at home. BUT, in 2013, I plan to find the motivation to be a little joiner and get involved in things! It's ironic, I try so hard to make sure Annalise has tons of structure in her life, but I am totally unstructured with my own life. I need structure and activities and plans, for both of us. (I guess in 2013 it will be for all 3 of us). Whether it's a volunteer thing or some sort of club/group/hobby/play group, or just making sure I'm getting a babysitter on the reg to meet up with friends, I need to find something to get out of the house and get myself more active!
4. Drink! Don't worry, I don't have full-fledged lush plans, but good god, do I need a good stiff drink after all of these months sobriety! Closely linked to item 3 above, I need to start planning time to get out for some adult time. In a perfect world, I'd love to plan a 'date night', but since it's probably only appropriate to date my husband, and the odds of him getting out of work at a reasonable time on any sort of regular basis is slim to none, I'll have to find some pals to go out with. The nice thing is that we do have a great babysitter, and babies go to bed early, so if I make getting out for some 'me time' every couple of weeks a priority, it just might happen! 

On that note, I'm signing off. But, fear not. I have an awful lot of political rants floating around in my head and will be back soon to regal you with my (self proclaimed) intelligent, and admittedly liberal, political commentaries. Stay tuned.

Once a blogger, always a blogger?

I know there are a lot of skeptics out there who question the reason to have a blog at all. And, I know to some people it makes no sense. TMI all around? But, for me, a blog is really an outlet. I consider myself to be a very social person. I love people. I love to talk. I love to tell stories and rattle on about life's little details. And yet, I have an incredibly solitary job, a husband who works long, long hours, and family and friends scattered all over the country. Sometimes the lack of adult interaction during the week is enough to drive me absolutely crazy! So, instead of allowing myself to be deafened by the silence (or maddened by the baby babble), I blog. Don't judge.

So, in the last 6 months (and since I last posted on the old blog), we found out that we were having another baby (and thus a horrible 3 months of sickness ensued), bought a house, packed a house, left the city, and moved to the new house in the burbs. I then spent months feverishly unpacking, decorating, and organizing- because, of course, it all has to be done yesterday in my world. The move has been an adjustment and suburbia takes some getting used to, but I was so ready to leave the city that I'm really loving every minute. It's quiet, we have a big yard, there are deer out my window, I can DRIVE any place I want to go, and people don't get shot/mugged/robbed mere blocks from our home. It is true that I am more isolated now, and I miss my city friends, but I love our little house on our quiet street with plenty of closet space. It's official- I'm a suburbanite. No looking back now.

As of today I am 30 weeks and 5 days pregnant. For those of you who are counting (and I am), that's 64 days left. She is due on December 1st, but I'm determined to get her out in November. (December birthdays suck!) I wish I could say I am one of those people who love being pregnant, but I'm not. It's tough. I'm tired and grumpy and fat. And, I kinda feel like life is on hold. Since we just moved to a new area and, as I said- I'm really isolated, I'd love to start volunteering or join something. But, it doesn't make sense to do anything until after the baby is born. So, it's a waiting game. And then of course, when she comes, life is going to be that much busier, so will I even have time/motivation/desire to start something new?

We've decided to name the new little lady Violet, with the middle name yet to be determined. (The middle name- assuming the penis that she was supposed to have- was to be Douglas, but Violet Douglas doesn't really seem to work for a baby of the non-male persuasion.) I really don't know how we came up with Violet. Somehow it was just a name that both Brad and I actually agreed on. For fairly modern folk, we definitely have a flair for the traditional. If your Grandma could have had the name, we probably like it... Our little old fashioned ladies- Annie and Violet... It was only after we both agreed on Violet that we found out that my Gram's sister's name had been Violet, which I think is AWESOME because I love family names and, no offense to Gram, but "Dorothy" wasn't a great one to pass on. We also hadn't put two and two together until after the fact, but Brad's maternal grandmother's name was Viola. So, family connections all around. 'Violet' is totally meant to be! Plus, I think it's pretty adorable.

Speaking of adorable: Annie, 15 months