Sayonara 2009!

First, I would like to thank my father for shaving a year or two off my life last night. I think it was right around 8 pm, and my cell phone rings. It's Mom's cell phone number. I instantly panic because 1) they never call this late, and 2) when they do, and it's from Mom's cell, it's usually letting me know that Mom is in the hospital or something. So, I answer it, and hear Dad's voice. Immediately I think the worst- my heart starts beating out of my chest. I say, "What's wrong?" and Dad's like, "Well, everything's okay, but..." [long pause] "I can't figure out how to get my USB stick out of the computer." I hand the phone to Casey so I can allow my heart rate to get back to normal. Dad, I'm glad Casey could help you. Sorry to jump to conclusions, but can you blame me? That's the first time you've called that late and it wasn't a real emergency!! AHHHHH!!! I'm okay now.

Anyway, it's hard to believe this is the last day of the year. 2009 has been a good one, and I'm really looking forward to 2010. I have no idea what kinds of things I will be able to say this time next year, but I should have a little kid toddling around a year from now. I wonder what they will look and act like. I wonder if I'll be back in school yet. I wonder if I'll miss working, or will be fully enjoying Mommyhood and not thinking twice about a paycheck. I wonder what Casey will be doing at BP this time next year. I wonder if Charley will enjoy having a toddler around (and I would imagine so, since that will mean that more food ends up on the floor for him to eat!). Crazy to know that I'm right on the edge of a year full of change. I think I'm starting to actually be ready for it.

Not sure yet how we will ring in the New Year, but it looks to be very low-key compared to previous ones, for obvious reasons. I think we may even stay in tonight, cook dinner, and watch a movie. I think tomorrow we will venture out, since Casey has the day off. I suddenly had a flashback to Japan 4 years ago... one of the craziest and most fun New Years I have ever had. :) My, how life has changed!! Again, I don't regret it.

Finally, here are a few random pictures for you. I previously forgot to take a picture of the outside of our house with the Christmas lights, so I took one last night. (*Before I forget... you can barely see him, but Charley is looking out the office window in this picture!) I also took pictures (above) of some cookies I made yesterday for our neighbors who took care of our deliveries that came in while we were in Topeka. Finally, Casey posed for a picture on Monday night when he was sick, and Charley was curled up with him... I call it "Sick Puppies" even though Charley wasn't actually sick... don't they look pathetic? (Casey may have played the face up a bit... Charley always looks that way, though.) :-)



Love,

Ash

Too much energy for 6 a.m.

Alright, I think I have way too much energy for it being so early in the morning, but I have good motivation... Last night, Case and I did some price comparisons on things we need for the baby, and this morning I am on a mission to 1) get things we wanted at a good discount, and 2) spend the heck out of some of the gift cards we got at the baby showers. I love being married to a guy who minored in Economics (unless he talks me out of buying something I really want... but I later realize it's a good thing and forgive him... haha). We spent a good hour on the computer last night, comparing items from Target & Babies R Us, and found that a lot of things at Target are less expensive, so getting the gift cards to Target turned out to be a good thing. We also got quite a few Visa gift cards for Christmas and the 2nd baby shower, so that'll help out with the bedding from Baby Depot, as well as a number of things elsewhere. I am kind of anxious to get the bedding, even though we don't have a crib... yet. Cribs To College called while we were in Topeka, and not only are they sending us a new crib, they are going to come to our house, haul off the old one, and assemble the new one for free! It should be here in the next 2 weeks. I think I may have mentioned it before, but I am really impressed by CTC. They are a local, family-owned business in Naperville. They don't work on commission, so we enjoyed going in because we knew that we could look around without feeling like vultures were circling us (unlike the way it felt to go to The Buckle at Westridge Mall... I could never go in there without being hounded by a bunch of sales people!!). The fact that they have offered to do the replacement and installation for free just makes things better. I'll be sure to update when everything is said and done, though.

The dog is officially driving me nuts this morning. He is WOUND UP and already wanting to play. He just went outside to go to the bathroom, and apparently saw something in the neighbor's yard that freaked him out. He was bounding all around back yard in the snow, and wouldn't come inside. Then he busted into the house and tracked snow everywhere. Now he has his new blue lobster toy from Christmas (thanks Mom!) and he's squeaking it in my face. I realize the kid needs more playtime, and I need to let him out somehow to spend up some of his energy... I just don't want to fall in the snow, etc., so I'm limited on what I can do with him right now. I really wish there was some kind of indoor dog park nearby. So far I don't think anyone has ever thought of doing this, or if so, it's not popular enough to be in our area yet. And now here Charley is again, bringing me Kong. I hope this isn't a theme for the day.

Today I plan on shopping, baking cookies and using my new cookie press and decorating tools, and getting my hair cut. I need to take the Christmas tree down, but we'll see how much energy I have after everything else I want to do today. Yesterday I didn't get a whole lot done until the afternoon... I think I was trying to catch Casey's cold, so I spent most of the morning attempting to sleep or lounging around, and congested. I ended up going to Walmart later in the afternoon once I started feeling better. I saw the awesome greeter guy who spoke to me more than ever before! He even helped me with my coat! Someday I'll get a picture of this dude... I'm telling you... BEST GREETER EVER. I am also still impressed with the Plainfield Walmart in general. I thought I would have to wait in line yesterday, but they opened a new line right away and I only waited about 2 minutes. The longest I have ever waited in line was 5 minutes, and even that wasn't so bad. It's always clean, and the people are friendly and helpful. I actually feel safe there, something I never could have said in Topeka or Columbia. They have changed my mind now- I officially don't mind going to Walmart anymore!

It's hard to believe that there are only a few more days left in 2009. Next year is going to be a big one for us, but I'm excited to see all the things that we get to do. Baby Hetrick is going to change everything!

I guess I should go now... I'm going to find out what time Target opens so I can get there early... it's supposed to start snowing sometime this morning, and I really don't want to drive around too much in it. Speaking of driving... we're going to get a new vehicle sometime in the next few weeks! We have to get rid of the truck, which actually makes me sad because I know Casey enjoyed having it... we just can't put a car seat in it safely. I know Case isn't too excited about driving my Jetta, either. I truly don't deserve to get a new car, based on the way I took care of the old one, but I plan to step it up and take better care of the one we get.

Anyway, I will really go this time. Write again later!

-Ash

Pictures from Home

Baby shower cake... tooooo cute!!! :-D


Me with the shower girls!


Casey and I at the baby shower w/the Peanut cake!!


Dinner @ Sakura w/friends: Dan & Kathy Richardson, Dan Nadeau, Aaron Brumley, & his girlfriend Laura


Chelsea & I at The Classic Bean


Charley nose-deep in his goodie bag...


Peanut shirt!

Home again

It is hard to believe that Christmas, as well as our time in Topeka, is already over. We made the ~9 hour trip back yesterday and got home around 4 pm. I'll try to remember all that happened last week, as it is a blur to me now.

Monday night we went to my cousins' house and had a delicious lasagna dinner. It was fun catching up with them and eating great food (something I did a lot of during our trip home!). My cousin Bryan has an adorable son named Miles who just turned 5- unfortunately he is in a very shy stage and barely talked to us while we were there... he spent most of the time hiding. Hopefully next time we see him he'll come around a bit more, because I always enjoy spending time with him- he's hilarious! I guess kids go through stages, though.

After dinner, we headed back out to the Hetricks, where we basically went right to sleep. We ended up going to Lawrence on Tuesday morning and meeting up with Aaron Brumley, his girlfriend Laura, and our friend Jon Tipton who we haven't seen since our wedding! It was fun catching up with him and trying to recap all that's happened in the last 6 years. :) Jon had to go to work after breakfast, so we walked around downtown Lawrence with Aaron & Laura. Then we went out to the Hetricks again and tried to pack up things to take to my parents house for a few days. Casey spent the afternoon with Aaron playing video games, and I hung out with my mom at the mall for awhile. (Had to replace those undershirts I had outgrown in less than a week!) We had dinner at my parents house that evening. I passed out early, something that seemed to happen quite a bit last week! All that eating really wore me out, apparently!

Wednesday, we hung out at my parents house in the morning, then ended up meeting my KSU roomie Chelsea and her husband Jonathan at the coffee shop in the afternoon. It was great catching up with them again, as it's been FOREVER since we last saw them! Chelsea is one month behind me in her pregnancy, so we compared notes while the boys talked about work/video games/etc. :) Time flew by, and before we knew it, it was time for them to leave and for us to run a few errands. We rented a movie, then went back to my parents house for dinner. We ended up doing our Christmas Eve festivities that evening because we found out that the weather was going to start getting pretty bad on Thursday, and my parents wanted us to make it back safely to the Hetricks. So we spent part of Wednesday night opening presents. Charley dove face-first into his goodie bag that Mom had made him... what a spoiled brat!! He really enjoyed his time at my parents house, mainly following my mom around and begging for food. :) We got several things we needed for the house, and Peanut got some cute clothes, toys, and books. I'm excited to bust out my cookie press and new baking sheets sometime this week!

Thursday, the weather started getting bad pretty early in the morning. Keith decided that he wanted us to leave Casey's truck at my parents house, and he would come pick us up in his Dodge Ram when he left work. He came to get us around 3 pm or so, and by that point, the streets were ridiculous. Luckily we were in a vehicle that could plow through just about anything, so we weren't as affected by the weather as the majority of crazy people that were out on the streets at that point. Keith needed to get a last-minute Christmas gift for De, so we went to the mall (Charley and I stayed in the car). Then Casey's sisters, who were stuck at home, sent us a list of things to get at the store, so we stopped there before going home. I was really happy to get to the Hetricks... the weather conditions and frightened dog in my lap made the trip pretty nerve-wracking, so I was happy to get my blood pressure back to a normal range. We vegged out that night, baking and decorating cookies, eating spaghetti, and watching It's a Wonderful Life. (Good movie.. I had never sat through the whole thing before, but I'm happy I did!) We opened our Christmas Eve gifts (love my maternity pajamas!!) and passed out.

Christmas morning, we woke up and opened our gifts. I got a robe (which I'm wearing as I type this... love it!!), a CHI hair straightener, and some very cute things for the baby. I'll include pictures (if they aren't too scary of me w/o make-up...) I laid around a lot that day and pretty much did nothing until we got ready to leave for Lawrence for the Hetrick Christmas at Lloyd & Jeanie's. The Hetrick grandparents got snowed into their house, so we piled into the Honda Pilot and went to bail them out. We somehow managed to get 8 people, 3-4 crock pots of food, and a LOAD of presents into the vehicle and make it to Lawrence... it took 2 hours to actually get there between shoveling snow and packing the car. There were a ton of stranded people out on the streets, and luckily we never found ourselves in that situation. We made it to Lloyd & Jeanie's, and spent time catching up with everyone, eating dinner, and opening presents. I think we finally got home around 10:30 or so, and everyone was pretty much exhausted at that point and went to bed.

Saturday Casey and I got up and attempted to pack everything to take to my parents house. Keith came home and the boys spent time packing the truck. The roads were still really bad out North and we were supposed to have the annual dinner with my friends that evening, but it turned out that everyone else couldn't make it because they were snowed in. I was pretty bummed, mainly because it was the only other time during the week that I could have seen them (other than the baby shower), and I won't see them again until after the baby is born. It was a strange reality to me that this is the last year I would have to do the traditional things before everything totally changes. I know that the change will be a good one, and I'm extremely excited about the baby! I just got sad knowing that this was the last year that we'd probably have a tradition like that. I guess that's just how it goes sometimes, though. The Hetricks (minus Val) made it out, though, so all that food didn't go to waste. After they left, Casey and my dad worked on getting things packed up for the trip home on Sunday morning.

We woke up early... I was pretty out of it as I didn't sleep well at ALL the night before. Casey and my dad got the truck packed and ready, and I got Charley around and all of our stuff together. We hit the road around 6:30 am. We only stopped 3 times for bathroom/food, and made it back to Plainfield around 4:00 pm. All things considered, we did pretty well. Missouri and Iowa were hit pretty hard by the winter storm, but I have to praise the Illinois DOT for clearing off the majority of the highway, as we didn't have any problems at all once we hit the state line.

Side note: Somewhere in Iowa, I REALLY had to go to the bathroom, so we stopped to get gas and I ran inside. There were 3 ladies in front of me in line, and 2 that were behind me shortly after I got there. Peanut was doing the tango on my bladder, and I was having a really hard time standing there waiting on the people in front of me. The guys bathroom was empty, so I looked at the ladies behind me, said, "I've got a kid dancing on my bladder... I'm just going to go in here" (and was relieved when one of them said, "No judgment!")... the bad part was when I came out and saw 2 guys standing there waiting on me. All I could say was, "Sorry guys, I'm 7 months pregnant and couldn't wait anymore!" Hopefully they were fine with it but I didn't stick around to find out!

So that's our trip home, the short version. Chuck is happy to be back home now, although he had a blast getting tons of attention (and treats!) and playing with the Hetricks 9 month old Great Dane, Harley. He slept pretty much all day in the truck yesterday, and barely woke up last night when we were going to bed. I'm glad he had a good Christmas this year. I can safely say we did, too. Just hard to believe it's already over!

This morning I went for my 31 week doctor's appointment- I start going every 2 weeks now. Everything is on track and looking good. I gained 2 lbs since I went last, and the baby's heartbeat was 146. Overall, I have gained 13 lbs! They think I will probably gain 25 total. All in all, a good and short appointment. Now I'm home and going to attempt to get some energy and make sense of all of our Christmas/baby shower gifts. I've got my work cut out for me!

Love,

Ash

PS: I'm going to post some pictures in a separate blog entry as this one is pretty freaking long. :)

Topeka, and Peanut's 2nd Baby Shower

We made it to T-town without too much trouble, although the ice/snow in Iowa was a little unnerving. We made pretty good time, too- left at 6:15 am, rolled into Topeka around 3:00 pm. We only stopped 3 times- it surprised me that I didn't need to stop any more than that, but it was nice not to have to stop and start all the time. :)

Saturday we got around and then went to the baby shower my sisters-in-law and two best friends threw for us. It was fun, and definitely more co-ed than the work shower. I think we had about 8-9 guys there this time! It was great catching up with everyone again. They got us a cake that was shaped like a peanut!! It was absolutely adorable, and I will have to blog now and update pictures later as I'm not on my own computer. Leslie took a bunch of pics during the shower, which will help me remember all that went on- that day was kind of a blur. We have quite a bit to haul back to IL, but I'm excited about the things we got for the room, etc. Last night, Leslie gave me a lesson on how the stroller works, which was pretty awesome. She has been babysitting for the majority of her teenage years (probably a bit before that even) and knows a ton of very useful tidbits, so it was fun to pick her brain. Then she quizzed me on how everything works. With a little more effort, I should have it down soon, and then I'll teach Casey. :)

Anyway, after the shower, Sara, Lindsey and I all went out to the Classic Bean for coffee. It was fun to hang out with them and relax after all of the festivities of the day. Someone at CB was playing one amazing soundtrack in the background, so we spent a good hour or so just reminising on the old days and memories the songs brought back. It was great to hang out with them- I needed it!!

Later that night, Casey & I met up with the Richardsons, Aaron Brumley and his girlfriend Laura, and Dan Nato. I haven't seen the Richardsons or Dan since before we were married! We went out to a Japanese restaurant and stuffed ourselves with delicious food. :) Afterward, Aaron told us about a Christmas party that one of the teachers at Seaman High School was having, so we decided to 'crash' it. It was a lot of fun, and Case, Aaron, and Dan got to catch up with teachers they had in high school. After that, we decided to go to downtown Topeka to a bar called The Office, and hung out there for about an hour or so. I did feel pretty awkward being at a bar, but at least I wasn't the only one not drinking! Ran into a few people there I haven't seen in awhile, too, which was fun. Overall, it's fun to come back home because I have a lot better chance of seeing people I know... and I thrive on that!

Yesterday we had the Shrimplin Christmas festivities at the Hetrick house. It was a busy afternoon/evening, but fun to see everyone and catch up. Grandma Shrimplin gave the younger girls in the family a HAND WRITTEN recipe book with over 80 recipes. She wrote each one- at least 6 of them- which I think is amazing. That is quite a bit of time and effort to put in, not to mention a TON of delicious food that I look forward to making now that I'm unemployed. ;) [Note to self- update on last day of work at some point!!] After the Shrimplins left, everyone pretty much crashed. I was so tired, I started falling asleep sitting up on the couch, watching TV. (For anyone who knows how much trouble I have falling asleep, this is pretty significant.) I actaully fell asleep around 11, and ended up waking up at 2:30. Finally got back to sleep after awhile, and didn't look back... I actually rolled (maybe literally... haha!) out of bed just before 10 this morning. I must need it!

Anyway, today Casey is spending some time trying to get a report done for work, and then we'll head to my parents' house and later to dinner with my cousins. Apparently the weather is supposed to start getting bad Tuesday night into the rest of the week, so hopefully we'll be able to see as many people as possible and not have to be shut in somewhere. Sounds like Chicago is getting some nasty snow/ice right now... I'm so glad I'm not there right now!!

I think that's enough for one day. Glad I took the time to do this now, because just writing this made me think of a bunch of things I had missed already. Looking forward to Christmas Eve on Thursday with my parents, Christmas day with the Hetricks, and then the annual dinner at the Harding house on Saturday night with friends & family. I am going to NEED all the time off next week just to catch up from this exhausting week!!

Love,

Ash

PS: Peanut seems to be on a growing spurt right now. The undershirts I could wear last week are practically screaming when I put them on now... ahhhh!! I wonder how many pounds I'll have put on when I go back to the doc next Monday...

Peanut's First Baby Shower

**TV & plastic tub obviously not included!!**

Yesterday, the wonderful people I work with (for one more day) threw a us a baby shower. Unfortunately I did not take any pictures during the shower, but I gathered the gifts and took a few pictures of them so I can keep a record and later I will *hopefully* be able to remember who gave us what, etc. I am already 1/2 way done with Thank You cards (I think it's because I wanted to put off cleaning the house... haha!) but I still have quite a bit more to go. I'm trying to decide if I should write thank yous to every agent that contributed money to our Target gift card... but since there are 33 people on the list, I am considering copping out and sending a mass e-mail. Lame, I know, but I don't know if I can handle writing all those cards!

The shower was fun. Casey got to hold and feed Dominick (coworker Ashlee's almost 2 month old baby) which was probably a little intimidating with all of the agents staring at him and watching his every move. I was informed that he did a great job, and I have nothing to worry about... LOL! (People continue to say the strangest things!) It was a fun party, and I look forward to the family/friend party on Saturday.

Anyway, here is a breakdown of the shower gifts:


Boppy pillow- Ashlee D.
My Baby photo album- B&W Agents group gift
First Year book- Kelly Rich
On-the-go Dishes/spoons- Joy Mulder
Baby Bugs toys- Kathy Aguayo
Froggie 'lovie' and White fuzzy blanket- B&W Agents group gift
Elephant Blanket- Kathy Aguayo
Clothes (from top pic)- Joy Mulder



Crinkle Zoo book- Michelle Toledo
Baby Record Keeper (growth chart, hand/foot print maker, etc)- new admin Gail T.
Foot Rattles, Owl toy- Michelle Toledo
Christmas Tree ornament- Kathy Aguayo
Gerber washclothes- Ashlee D.



Huggable Hangers- The Passaro Team (including our Realtor Sharon Riegert!)
Carter's wall art- Michelle Toledo

I'm excited about the wall art because now I can start decorating the room a bit! There is a crack in the crib, so we are trying to negotiate something with the company/manufacturer to figure out when we'll get a replacement. Hopefully it won't take too long! But that has backed up the productivity of the nursery since we can't really do much until the crib is assembled and in its place. Hopefully they will just send us a new head and foot board and we'll be set. And hopefully Peanut doesn't arrive until we have a place for he/she to sleep!

I guess that's all for now... I'll try to write again before we leave on Friday. :)

-Ash

"The Storm"

I said last week felt like the 'calm before the storm', so this week I'm getting ready to take cover! Here's a breakdown of my week:

Monday (today)... CLEAN the HOUSE. And whatever else I can do to make the rest of the week go smoothly, esp. since we leave early Friday morning to head to Kansas. OH, and I'm working on our holiday letter and Christmas cards, so I should probably get some of that done today as well. Ahhh!

Tuesday: Last Photoshop class... turn in my final project... yay! The Baird & Warner baby shower is from 2-4 pm, and I found out Casey can come, so I'm a little less nervous about it. :) Now we can start really preparing for Peanut to arrive!

Wednesday: Packing, cleaning, laundry, any last-minute shopping for Christmas... packing...

Thursday: Finish packing, get ready for the trip to Topeka on Friday. Work my last shift at Baird & Warner that evening. Let's hope I don't cry.

Friday: Drive all day and arrive in Topeka!

Saturday: Family/Friends baby shower

Sunday: Shrimplin Christmas at the Hetricks

I had to change my mind about Casey's Christmas gift so now I am scrambling to figure out what to do for him. I think I know, but I feel lame now that my Big Idea fell through. Oh well... maybe I'll work on it for next year since I'll have more time at home now... it was just getting too involved and expensive. I think we're keeping Christmas pretty low-key between us this year, since we'll have so much baby stuff going on. Plus, we need to get a new vehicle, so that will probably be our big gift to each other. I guess that's not really low-key... but it's a necessity! A lot is going to change around here in the very near future!

Speaking of changes, Casey and I decided to rearrange the living room this weekend. Now the couch is along the half-wall, and the TV is on the north side of the room instead of the west. It really opens up the house a lot more, and Charley enjoys having even more room to run now that the couch isn't in the way. Peanut will have a lot more room to play now, too. We also put up the Christmas tree yesterday. Now that the TV/Entertainment center is on the north side of the house, the windows on the west side are free, so we put the tree in front of one of those. Charley didn't seem to mind the tree (which was surprising!) and still manages to look out the window and spy on the neighbors, which is one of his favorite activities. In general, I think the arrangement is a good one. Casey seems to be happy with his hard work... as I was not able to be very helpful as far as moving furniture was concerned. I'll try to take pictures of the house this week and update, since I don't think I've actually done that since we moved in over a year ago. Oops!

I am starting to feel more of the effects of pregnancy the past few days, and it doesn't take much to wear me out. Having two holiday parties this weekend did the trick, and I found myself really run down during the day Saturday and Sunday. I'm definitely getting bigger now, and I'm sure my body is just trying to adjust to the extra weight. Only 11 weeks to go! I have a feeling by the end of this, I am going to be 110% ready to have Peanut join the world... probably sooner than later. Until then, I'm going to keep trying to do as much as I can, but still take it as easy as possible. I have a feeling I'll need to work in naps here and there over the next 2 weeks, just to get through all the holiday activities.

I should go now... writing about all the things I need to do is wearing me out, and I haven't even started yet! Ahhh!!

Love,

Ash

29 weeks and craziness

I feel as though this week is just the calm before the storm. It has been a good one, though! I survived the first big snow storm of the season, without falling on my ass. I skipped class on Tuesday because it was snowing and I didn't think driving 40 minutes with the maniacs around here would be very wise. It was also only a lab day, and because of our weekend SC trip, I didn't have a chance to take any good pictures, so I didn't need to take advantage of lab time that day. I can't remember if I went to Walmart on Monday or Tuesday, but whichever day I decided to go, I managed to time it just right so I left right as it started sleeting. That was awesome. My procrastination paid off again!! But I somehow managed to get groceries, put them in the car, and get home without having too much trouble. Wednesday was spent indoors with a bored puppy as we watched the snow fall. I did manage to get a lot done around the house, though. For once, I had a long list of things to do, and got them all checked off without even complaining about it or putting it off! Maybe the "Nesting" phase is kicking in. Either way, it's carrying over to today, which has been nice. Case and I woke up around 7:30 and I feel pretty well rested and ready to get things done. Hooray!

Thursday afternoon was Baird & Warner's holiday party. I've come to the conclusion that Realtors really know how to party. There was a ton of wine and beer consumed that afternoon, and apparently it carried over to the evening because people called in sick on Friday... they called me to come fill in for a few hours, which I actually didn't mind at all. (It probably gave them peace of mind knowing that I had only consumed good ole H-2-O the entire time.. haha!) Things were busy at work on Friday, as usual, but I also got to hear dirt about who got crazy the night before and a few things that happened with coworkers that were pretty funny. (I won't write them on here, just in case anyone happens to read this... ;)) As much as I have complained about certain work situations in the past, I really will miss the people there. They are still keeping the door open for me after the baby is born, so I may come fill in on the occasional weekend day or something when Case can be home with the kid. It will also be good to get out of the house and have some adult conversations with people other than Case every once in awhile. I don't want to become a hermit!!

Anyway, now I'm gearing up for a week of baby showers, traveling home, and getting ready for the holidays. We have gotten ZERO Christmas shopping done, which is making me a little anxious. Hopefully I will get through this week without completely exhausting myself! One day at a time...

Before I forget; We had a great check up at the doctor yesterday! I gained FIVE pounds over the last month (Yay!!! Thank you Thanksgiving food!) and Peanut is right on track as far as growth is concerned. We heard the heartbeat again (144 bpm) and got to meet the last of the 3 rotating doctors in our practice. He is the main doctor and will most likely be the one that delivers the baby. Case and I like him- he's got a fun personality and is pretty feisty, which suits us well. Even the office staff was nice yesterday, which as you may recall can be hit-or-miss at that office. All in all, it was a very good visit. Now I will start going in every 2 weeks for a check up. Let's hope the weather cooperates! Oh, this week I also signed us up for an additional pre-birth class. We start our Prepared Childbirth class on Jan 3rd, which will go for 3 weeks, and then we'll do a BabyPLUS class that will teach us infant CPR, car seat installation, etc. Lots of baby learnin' to do in the next month or so! :)

So that pretty much sums up the week. Our friend Kyle was supposed to come visit this weekend but he called yesterday to let us know that it wasn't going to pan out. Hopefully we'll get to see him shortly after Peanut arrives. Our schedules aren't going to work out over Christmas so we won't get to see him like we normally do when we go home. He's on his way to becoming a Pediatrician so I can't really blame him for having little to no free time right now. :)

I guess that's about it. I probably won't write much while we're at home for Christmas, so I'm sure there will be a ton to write about when we get back... I'll try to keep up with the blog next week, though, as the Baird & Warner baby shower, my last day of class, and my last day of work all coincide. Let the craziness begin!

-Ash

Weekend Update & Snow!

SO much to update!! Bear with me, guys.

We just got back from a most excellent weekend in South Carolina. And probably the fastest of my life. We had a layover in Atlanta on Thursday night, then landed in Charlotte and picked up the rental car... we rolled into Columbia around 1 am on Friday morning. After a bit of sleep (Casey more than me... it was the same snoring/Peanut dancing scenario I'm getting so accustomed to...), we woke up around 7:30 on Friday morning to get ready to go to the Chemical Engineering department. That was after picking up Bojangles for breakfast. :)

We got to the Department around 9, and that was the beginning of a crazy marathon-style day of seeing as many people as we possibly could. I waddled all around that place, and probably saw at least 40 people (and probably more) that I hadn't seen in at least a year. The best part was just standing out in front of the main office, having people come to me. Many of them would see me and 1) do a double take because it was me and then 2) do another double take because of my baby bump... it was fun to watch their facial expressions as they realized what was going on! we took about an hour for lunch, then went back and did it all over again. We even got to see Dr. Amiridis for about 3 whole minutes. He's the Provost now, so we saw him in between meetings. It was a pretty intense and insane schedule for us. I convinced Casey to take me back to Billy & Clay's place so I could take a nap before going back out that evening for dinner. Our friends Zahra & Kaveh brought their 5 month old baby girl (who I got to giggle and smile!) and Jan & Eirini brought their 15 month old daughter, Artemis. We had fun playing with the kids (and I especially had fun watching Casey with them... he's going to be such a cute and fun dad!!!) Seeing the kids made me even more excited for Peanut's arrival. :-D

Saturday, Casey got up and played racquetball with Qiang & Jay, so I waddled around Five Points for an hour or so before I heard from Sean and his pregnant wife Stephanie. We met up around the time Casey was done with his game, so we headed to Rockaway's for lunch. Jenny and her fiance Colby met up with us there. It was a nice, small group, and we got to hang out for about 1.5 hours. Then we did some shopping and went back to Billy & Clay's house. They ordered dinner at their place, which was nice because we got to spend some quality time with our hosts. Then we met up with Eyma, Wes, Amy, & Jason at our friend Candy's house while they were watching football games. We didn't stay long since we were both pretty tired and had to get up fairly early on Sunday. Went back to B&C's, then pretty much crashed.

We woke up Sunday, went to breakfast at the Gourmet Shop, and headed to Charlotte to catch our flight. Luck was on our side because although we underestimated how much time it would take to drive up there, we managed to JUST get the right shuttle after dropping off the rental car, JUST make it through security, and arrive at our gate to hand over our tickets and jump on the plane. If any of those things would have taken even a few minutes longer, we probably would have missed our flight. I was absolutely exhausted by the time our plane was in the air. It was a quick trip to Atlanta, where we actually arrived around 30 minutes early, so I was happy to have a few minutes to sit before jumping on the next plane. The strange part was that when I was taking a bathroom break, I ran into a girl named Yvette that I had been in elementary school, middle, and high school with! We chatted for a few minutes which was nice. Very random.

We made it home last night around 4:15 pm. It was then that all the energy completely ran out and I ended up napping on the couch while Casey took Charley Brown to get our dinner. We ate, and then my best friend Lindsey called (we haven't talked in a LONG time!) so we ended up talking for about 3 hours on the phone. It was great catching up again!! Shortly after our phone conversation, I went to bed. I woke up this morning to what the weatherman called a "light dusting" of snow. BS!!!! There is about 2 inches and counting out there now. So, I am basically terrified now because I have to drive around in this crap. I was not ready for this. It's supposed to get worse, as a winter storm is headed our way Tuesday night. I hope it doesn't ruin any plans for the Baird & Warner Christmas party on Thursday night. More than that, I hope that I can make it to class this week. I am pretty nervous about driving all the way there, but I have a lot to work on for my final project that's due a week from tomorrow. I know my teacher would understand, and I won't be surprised if he cancels class if it gets too bad... I'm hoping for the best. I will just go really slow and try to be extra cautious of people around me. One of my biggest fears right now is getting in a car accident and something happening to Peanut... but I know worrying about it is not going to help, so I will try not to.

Today I am going to try and get laundry done before I go to work at 2. It's my second to last time there... I don't work again until the 17th! The baby shower is on the 15th, so I guess I'll be there again, just not on the clock. :)

I guess that's about all... I could write a ton more, but this is more than enough. It was a great weekend seeing wonderful friends, and I'm really glad everything worked out that we could go. Seeing friends was my favorite birthday present this year. :-D

Love,

Ash

The Final Countdown...

...and no, not the countdown to Peanut... that one was started awhile back. No, this one is the countdown until I am unemployed. After today, the fact that I only work 3 more days this month is kind of a blessing.

I came in today, not knowing the December schedule yet (and December starts tomorrow... ahhhh!!). I also came in thinking that I had my week planned out since we are leaving on Thursday for South Carolina, and last month I was only scheduled on Mondays and Thursdays. Well, surprise to me, I am scheduled this Wednesday (I haven't worked a Wednesday since the summer!) from 10-6 pm. Wednesday was supposed to be the day that I get everything done, since I have class tomorrow morning. So... I asked if they could allow me to work from noon to 6 that day, and I probably have to cancel taking pictures for my neighbor and her family that evening as well. This really threw me for a loop. On the other hand, I didn't want to give up the hours because this will be my last paycheck, so I have to make it work. It is just a little stressful thinking that I only really have tomorrow after class, a bit on Wednesday morning, and Thursday after class to get all the things done that I need to do before we leave. Oh, and if I'm still standing at the end of the day, I will have to use that time as well. Ahhhhhh! Seriously. I need an assistant or something right now. If only we could have taught Charley to clean...

As usual, I just have to vent when I get stressed or I get too overwhelmed. I honestly think the problem right now is that I have a bit of idle time (like now while I sit here at work... things were CRAZY until 5, now it's dead in here) and that's when I stress out more because I think of all the things I could/should be doing but can't because I'm here. Okay... 3 more days. I can handle this. (Sigh).

Thanks for allowing me to let it out! I don't know what I'd do if it weren't for the blog!

-Ash

Holiday weekend

What a weekend! I don't have a lot of time to update since I leave soon for work, but I wanted to let everyone know that we did, in fact, survive the holiday.

The Hetricks arrived around 5:30 pm on Wednesday, and settled in well. We spent Thursday cooking and hanging out together, playing games and staying inside b/c it was cold and cloudy outside. (We were expecting our first snow flurries, but nothing happened. Oh well!) We had a nice, relaxed Thanksgiving lunch, then went out that evening to see The Blind Side. Definitely a good movie; we didn't even mind being in the 4th row from the front (as apparently everyone had the same idea of going to the movie that night).

Friday morning around 4, Casey went with his dad and Leslie (Val wasn't feeling well and slept in) to do some Black Friday shopping. I didn't sleep well at ALL the night before, so I was tempted to go with them, but luckily I passed out shortly after Casey left. (Peanut was kicking up a storm, plus the boys were snoring and Charley kept wanting in and out of our room all night... grrr!!) Anyway, they got some good deals, so I'm glad they got to go. We got around and headed to downtown Chicago around 1:30 pm. We went to a ton of stores so Les could continue on her shopping spree. I was pretty wiped out after all that and had a tough time keeping up with the girls as I 1) had to pee every 20 minutes (or so it seemed) and 2) can only waddle so fast these days. It was good exercise for me, though. I ended up getting a maternity coat at Old Navy (for more than 50% off!) and found a maternity hoodie on sale, which rocks because all my old ones won't zip over the bump now. :) Over all, it was a good day. We all came home and crashed early.

Saturday we went shopping... again... Leslie could shop for 24 straight hours, I believe.. but I probably could too when I was 17. :) The boys spent time at our place, putting up Christmas lights and then running to get the baby crib which came in on Wednesday. The Hetricks had to leave around 6 that night so they didn't have time to assemble it, but it's at least in the nursery now, waiting for Casey and I to put it together. We went out for pizza that night before they headed out to the airport. After they left, Case and I ran to a few different stores to find additional items for the outside of the house. I will take a picture when all of the decorations are up. :) I also have a family pic to add, but I can't now as I'm already running late.

I'll update later... I have a TON of things to get done in the next few days before we leave for South Carolina. Never a dull moment!

Love,

Ash

Gearing up for Thanksgiving...

I think I slept about 3 hours last night. Between Peanut squirming, Casey snoring (sorry as usual, babe!) and my mind going 80 mph for some reason, I just couldn't do it. So I got up this morning, went to class, picked up my crock pot from Ashlee (and got to see and hold Dominick again!)... then I came home and crashed. It was only supposed to be for 45 minutes, but it turned into almost 2 hours. I am not proud to admit that, mostly because I have a ton of things to do in < 24 hours before the Hetricks arrive. I finally forced myself to go to Walmart to pick up items we will need for Thanksgiving, but now that I'm back home, I definitely don't have as much energy as I need to get things done. I'm using this blog to motivate myself to get up, and just get it done.

The highlight of not being able to sleep much last night (if there is a highlight) is that I may have thought of an idea for Casey for Christmas. Granted, it's not in the 'things you can use' category, but I think it might be appropriate this year. I'm still tinkering with it, but the idea hit me around 1:30 am and I had to get up and start drawing things out because my mind wouldn't stop going. (Why can't that happen during the day when I really need it!?!?) Hopefully it will all work out and he'll enjoy it. :)

I guess that's all for now. The next day will be spent cleaning and getting the house ready before the Hetricks arrive. Then I'm sure there'll be some cooking and shopping to do before Thursday. Friday, the Hetricks want to go out and shop, but I may ask for a wheelchair or Segway or something so I don't have to waddle all around downtown. As long as there is a bathroom nearby, I should be okay. :) Doubt I'll write again until the weekend, so I'll keep this fairly short as I'm sure I'll have a lot to write about then. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

-Ash

Pictures, pictures, pictures...

I'm not sure that the pictures from week 26 will tell you how much I've grown... in fact, it makes me look smaller than before, in my opinion. I will say that black is apparently really slimming, and the angle is a factor as well. Oh well, I guess that just means that next picture update I will probably look super huge. Or something. I don't know... it really depends on who you ask. Haha...

It was a good weekend, overall. I got some shopping done for my birthday (the shirt in the picture is one I bought at Target in the Maternity section, and so far I think it's my favorite). I took a ton of pictures this weekend- almost 400, in fact- in two different 'sessions' for friends. The first one was of my friend Ashlee's baby boy, Dominick. Besides some lighting issues and the fact that he slept most of the time, we got a few good ones. Yesterday I met up with my hair stylist, her boyfriend, her sister, and her sister's boyfriend, and took some pictures of them for her mom for Christmas. I had a lot of fun with them, and I think the pictures turned out well! There are always things I would change afterward, but overall I am happy with the way it all went. I used a new function on my camera (new to me, at least) and really liked the way it turned out. It's nice that I've had the camera almost 2 years now and I'm still finding out so much more about it. :)

I guess that's about it... I'm awake now because I woke up when Casey's alarm went off this morning and by the time I got up, used the bathroom, and tried to go back to sleep, I was hungry. So 1st breakfast is out of the way... I'll eat another one when I wake up later. I don't work today until 1 so I will probably bum around the house until then. The Hetricks arrive on Wednesday afternoon, and leave on Saturday evening. They are saying it's going to possibly snow on Thanksgiving this year.. ahhhh! It's hard to think about that when we had such a beautiful weekend... it was almost 60 yesterday! Oh well, it was bound to get freezing at some point. I'm glad it waited this long.

Time for me to go back to sleep. :)

-Ash

Week 26!

So it's finally Friday, and the start of week 26! This has been a slow week compared to last week, and I feel as though I've slept a lot. In reality I have gotten about the same amount of sleep as the next person, I just woke up a lot during the night (thanks to Charley's puppy dreams, Casey's snoring (sorry babe!) and having to use the bathroom...) and slept in later than normal. I finally got up at 10:45 this morning, but that was after waking up 4 times during the night, and also staying awake for about 2 hours after Casey's alarm went off this morning. Not to mention the fact that I can never go right back to sleep after I get back in bed. I am not like Casey, who's head can hit the pillow and he's out in less than a minute. I'm going to find a way to time it sometime. He really amazes me when it comes to sleep.

In other news, I am getting ready to go take pictures of my coworker's baby, Dominick. This will be his first 'real' photo session, as I'm taking pictures for his birth announcement. I haven't done this before except for back in the day at the Picture People, so it's time to dust the cobwebs off my brain and try to remember how to pose babies. Luckily he's little, so it's not like I'll have to chase him around or get him to hold props, etc. Thank goodness! That was always tough.

In other photography news, I have agreed to take pictures for my hair stylist this weekend as a gift to her parents for Christmas. I'm meeting up with she, her boyfriend, her sister, and her sister's boyfriend on Sunday afternoon. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we'll get some good shots. I do have to say that I miss all the equipment we had at The Picture People. It's hard to make due when you also have to worry about the camera settings and lighting... we had all of that set up for us back then, so we just had to pose people and try to be creative. Now I've got to try and do it all! Yikes! Hopefully both sessions will go well. I'll update later, and even post a few pics... if they are good enough. :)

I've slept so much in my free time this week that I haven't even gone out to spend my birthday money yet! Something must be wrong with me. (Not really, Mom, don't worry.) I figure I'll have time to this weekend. Casey will probably enjoy some time at home by himself, so I'll save the shopping for tomorrow. Still not sure what I want to buy yet, but I have a ton of things floating around in my brain. The longer I wait to shop, the more I have time to talk myself out of things I don't really need. I would love a good hair straightener, but in reality, I'm probably not going to do much to my hair in a few months anyway, because I won't have time. So investing in something like that doesn't make much sense. I also don't want to buy too many more maternity shirts because I won't be able to wear them (or maybe I just shouldn't) after February. Then the weather will start to get warmer at some point and I'll have to bust out my older light-weight clothes again. I could use quite a few things right now, but none of them are fun. Tennis shoes, a new iron/ironing board, maybe a new coat (that will fit me through the winter, and so I don't have to wear the one my neighbor gave me... it's pink.)... nothing really exciting. Sort of like this paragraph... if I'm not excited to write it, you're probably not excited reading about it. So I will stop.

I guess that's about it for now. I need to hop in the shower and get ready to go take pics of Dominick. I'll probably update again sometime this weekend, and will try to have Case take a pic of me so I can prove how much I have "popped" in the last 2 weeks. With all the comments I have gotten about it this week, there's no doubt that I'm expanding quite a bit... (but still not about to explode!!!)

Love,

Ash

Brownies and Swine Flu Vaccines

It is true, sometimes I share too much on Facebook. I mean, a lot of people I know found out I am pregnant because of a status update I posted at around 2 months. Oops. But last night, it was totally worth it.

I was sitting at work, minding my own business, when this crazy brownie craving kicked in. I mentioned it in the previous post, but it really started to get bad as the night went on. So I went to Facebook to vent my frustration about wanting a brownie but being at work for another 1.5 hours. Next thing I know, Scott Baker, one of our agents, walks in the front door with a goodie from Starbucks, and hands it to me. A brownie. He said, "See, posting things on Facebook pays off sometimes!" Boy did it ever! My newest status update basically tells the world that Scott is wonderful, and that someone should buy a house from him. :)

In other news, I am officially vaccinated for Swine Flu! After all my OCD induced moments from being around sick people, I am happy to say that I am hopefully in the clear now. It didn't even hurt. The most painful part was sitting in a gym with 700+ other people for 2.5 hours. (I arrived at 7:30 pm and got the number 1980. They were barely in the 1100s at that point.) The line started going faster, I think because some people got 'weeded out' for showing up when they weren't on the priority list, or they just gave up and went home. I got my shot and was out the door by around 9:45. So glad that's over!! Now I shouldn't need any more shots anytime soon. Hooray!!

Peanut has been kicking up a storm today... I wonder why? It's probably just trying to make more room in my belly. It's supposed to weigh about 2 or 2.5 lbs now, and it is ~14 inches long. It apparently also has the ability to blink now, too. :-D Pretty neat. Tonight, Casey and I are going on a date to see the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz at a local movie theater. I never get dates with him in the middle of the week, so I'm looking forward to it. :)


I guess that's about it for now. I'll update again later in the week!

Love,

Ash

How Rude!!

I would like to thank the following people for their comments so far this week:

* My friend's husband who said I looked like I am "going to explode" because I'm so big

* The agent who said, "Hi, Fat Belly!"

* The other agent who said, "We should find Ashley some clothes that fit!" (Apparently my choice to wear a button-down shirt today was not a good idea... it's pretty stretched out in the belly area. Oops.)

I feel like a whale, but I know I'm actually not. The number of comments I get from people that are like, "You're almost 6 months pregnant? You're so tiny!" help to counteract the rude ones. People are just so rude sometimes! Annoying.

I do know that if I keep getting cravings for brownies (like I am currently) and follow through with them, I will definitely be whale/explosion size soon. Yikes.

-Ash

Turning 28

I have a lot of thoughts right now so forgive me if I spew them out in random order. I may go back to organize them, but I figure I'm pretty random as it is, so you are probably used to that by now.

This morning I saw a picture of one of our friend's babies on Facebook. This is one of many times Casey and I have looked at each other and one of us has said, "We're going to have one of those!"... almost like it was a new discovery or something. It just always makes me smile. :-D

SO the birthday festivities went well this weekend. Friday I literally spent the entire day cleaning. The best part was, I actually felt good about it. Maybe I have convinced myself that at 28, I should know how to do such things. Then again, I was absolutely exhausted that night when Casey and I went out for my birthday dinner and a movie. The downside was that I still didn't get everything done, so we had to spend part of Saturday cleaning before guests arrived for dinner.

Anyway, it was nice to see the look on Casey's face when he came home and looked around the house. I swept and mopped all the floors. I cleaned windows. I organized cabinets. For once, things were in the places they were supposed to be, and it was nice. I hopped in the shower and was out by the time Case came home. Then I got ready for dinner and Casey gave me my card and gifts. (Sidenote... Casey is awesome about finding the perfect cards. He really seems to have a knack for it. He always gets me 2 cards- one funny, one sentimental. And he did not disappoint.) Case got me tickets to see the 70th anniversary of the Wizard of Oz this Tuesday, so we get another date night during the week!! I'm pretty stoked about that. He also got me the New Moon soundtrack, which I haven't gotten to listen to all the way through yet, but I like what I've heard so far. :)

We then headed out to Wild Tuna, our favorite local sushi restaurant. I was good and stuck with vegetable tempura with udon noodles (although I had 2 bites of sushi with COOKED salmon, thank you very much). It was DELICIOUS. I was sad that I wasn't able to finish it, but I was stuffed by the time we left. Then we ran over to the movie theater, only to find out that the movie we wanted to see had started at 7:30 instead of 7:45. We decided to go get coffee (hot chocolate for me!) and wait until the 9:50 showing of The Men Who Stare at Goats. We sat at the coffee shop and reminisced about the night we met, 11 years ago that night, also on Friday the 13th. It was fun thinking back on those days that seem so long ago. We talked about where we were and where we are now. It's been a fun journey so far, and it's about to get a lot more exciting, which is strange to think about.

Anyway, we ran home for a bit and hung out with Charley, then headed back to the movie. It wasn't as good as I thought it would be- I definitely think The Invention of Lying was much better as far as recent comedies go that I've seen. Not terrible, just a little ridiculous. Then we came home and crashed.

Saturday was spent cleaning and cooking. I managed to make mom's Chicken & noodles, the Hetrick recipe for spinach-artichoke dip, and corn bake, without completely destroying the kitchen or (as far as I know) doing anyone bodily harm. It was really nice to see everyone again. Jenny & Olivier came a little after 4, then Melanie, Eddie, Misael, Aidaris, and Darielis came around the same time. I think Casey and I have managed to see everyone since they moved to IL, but many of them had not seen each other since the move, so it was nice to catch up and get to relax. I played with Darielis as much as possible. She has got to be one of the most adorable kids I have ever seen! She definitely made my night when she toddled over to me and hugged me. :-D During dinner she would reach out to me so I would hold her in my lap or carry her around until she started wiggling and I couldn't hold on anymore. She will be 1 year old next month, but she's only in the 1 percentile as far as growth is concerned, so she is tiny, and very easy to pick up! She is starting to try and talk now, and loves squealing and trying to communicate with everyone around her. Definitely a joy to be around. :)

The night went well, and by the time everyone left, I was pretty much dead to the world. It wasn't even 9 pm but I felt like it was 2 in the morning. So I crashed hard and Casey and I both woke up this morning at around 9:30, which is by far the latest we've slept in in longer than I can remember. It was nice! Peanut didn't even wake me up this morning.. probably because I was too tired to care. Charley only woke me up at 8 to go to the bathroom, but we all went back to sleep. Now Case is getting ready and we're going to go grab breakfast and head to Barnes & Nobel. (Is it Nobel or Noble? Who cares.)

On that note, I should go. I've got some homework to do today, but I'm happy to say that other than doing a little laundry, I don't have to cook or clean today! Yay!!

Love,

Ash

Lots to celebrate!!

I have a lot to celebrate today! First, I am officially 28 years old today. (Thanks, Mom & Dad!!) Second, it is the 11 year anniversary of the night I met Casey (11-13-98 at Cyrano's Coffee Shop in Topeka, KS.) Third, Peanut is 25 weeks along today!! It's going to be a good day! :-D

Tonight Casey and I are going on a date- dinner and a movie- to celebrate all of the above. When I woke up this morning I found a card he'd left for me... just the front of the card made me teary-eyed. "To my wife and the mother of my child". :-D I like the sound of that!

Today will be spent getting the house ready for company tomorrow. I'm excited to see friends from SC again that we haven't seen in awhile. All of them have moved to Illinois as well, so it will be a nice USC reunion for my birthday dinner. I'm pretty sure this is the biggest group I have cooked for so far so I'm a little nervous, but I think it should be simple enough not to mess up. I hope! If not, we have Giordano's on speed dial so we'll work it out. :) I am especially glad to have today off work so I can get the house looking presentable...

Speaking of work, they surprised me yesterday with an ice cream cake and gift card for my birthday. It was delicious and definitely unexpected, as I am only part-time. :) They know how to make a girl feel special!! That and finding out Monday that they want to throw a baby shower in the office is really making me feel guilty about leaving...but I will just enjoy the time I get to spend with them, and be happy that I have a better support system here than I originally thought. :)

I think that's about it for now. The dryer is calling for me and I've got plenty of cleaning to do still, although I must say, I've gotten quite a bit done for only being awake for about 2.5 hours now. Yay for productivity! I guess that's something else to celebrate!

-Ash

The (not-so-dreaded) Glucose Test

So I just got back from the dreaded glucose test, which turned out to be a lot less 'dreaded' than I thought. Got my regular check-up (gained 3 lbs, heard the heartbeat again (142 bpm), BP is looking good) and then went upstairs for the orange drink chugfest and needle pricking session. I ended up in the waiting room with two other moms-to-be and we all got to chug the stuff together. I should have taken something to read, but luckily only the last 15 minutes dragged on before I had to get blood drawn. The lady that did it was super gentle and it went fast! So now I'm about to leave to go get a nice lunch (with carbs!!) and get some shopping done. I have a TON to do around the house and I know if I don't get things done today, I'll have to do all of it on Friday, which is not a fun birthday activity!

Other than that, I guess the latest Peanut news is that it started kicking a bunch the other night when it heard Casey's voice, which was pretty awesome. Casey can feel it moving every time he tries now. :) I'm glad we're finally to this point so I am not the only one experiencing it!

Time for me to go eat something delicious!

-Ash

Week 24 pics!

Here are two new pics... the one of Charley and I is probably my fave so far.

Nursery theme/Registry

HoLeeeeeey crap, I am tired!!! Casey and I spent a good 3.5 hours today registering for Baby Hetrick. I am happy to say that we narrowed down a theme and have probably all the things we need for Peanut's arrival, give or take a few. Registering in person is a WHOLE lot different than looking around online. For one, you get the awesome gun scanning device that makes everything exciting. The downside is, you can spend hours (as we did) walking around, trying to decide what brand/style/color you want of just about everything. Baby Depot (at Burlington Coat Factory) was much easier than Babies R Us, for the simple fact that we only really focused on the nursery theme there. We did end up putting a few extra items on the list, but did BY FAR the most damage at Babies R Us. I think we over-registered today, but there were times that we got confused as to the right type or brand of item that we scanned both, only to do more research and eliminate one online. And I guess if we space out and happen to get both items, it appears that both stores are flexible with their return policies.


I think we may have lucked out with the theme. Casey and I saw the "Forest Friends" collection at Baby Depot, and liked the colors and characters a lot. Then we went to BRU, and found a similar theme that (for lack of a better term) will branch off well with the other, called "Tree Tops". Both have the same characters in them, but have slightly different room pieces, etc. We registered for the bedding and main items at Baby Depot, then some additional room items at BRU. So, we will hopefully get more for our money that way. Or someone else's money... I guess? Anyway, I really like the theme a lot, and I think it will be easy to find things that aren't necessarily a Carter's brand that will be able to go with it, like teddy bears, owls, turtles, birds, etc. And the theme is about as neutral as you can get these days. Both stores are pretty much geared for parents who know what gender their child is already. For people like us, it is not so easy. But I hope the theme will suit he-nut or she-nut well. :)

I am officially completely worn out. I think I'll spend the rest of the evening kicking my feet up and watching TV.

Love,

Ash

24, and Alphabet Soup

Let week 24 begin!! With so much baby excitement the past few days (Casey really feeling it *KICK* for the first time, watching my stomach bounce, getting a crib, finalizing the baby shower invite list, etc) I am excited to see what week 24 will bring! Although at this rate, I'm not sure what else to expect as far as Peanut is concerned. I feel huge. I realize I'm not yet, but the bump has really popped out more over the last 2 weeks. I have gained weight (although we'll get a total next Wednesday when I go in for the dreaded Glucose test).. I'm betting on at least 2 lbs since I went in last month. I have been eating more protein and drinking more water, as instructed. I also ate a hell of a lot of Halloween candy last week, which probably had a bit to do with it. As much as I don't like to admit it, walking is actually helping me waddle less. I took Charley on a walk on Wednesday and found myself feeling better and less waddle-y at the end. There is a lot of pressure on my lower left side right now, where Peanut tends to hide out. Walking and stretching will only make it stronger at this rate... I just have to remember that and keep up with it... which will get more difficult as the weather gets colder.

My current plan for the day is to take Charley to downtown Naperville to spoil him and get some bones that he likes, as well as do some photography homework. We have a fun assignment that's due in 2 weeks where we have to find letters of the alphabet (all 26!) in uncommon things like nature, things around the house, etc. They just can't be pictures of letters on signs or things that are obvious like that. So far I only have a handful of letters, but I found the letter G (which is one of the harder ones) in a roll of scotch tape! S, X, and O are probably going to be super easy, it's letters like Q, R, and B that might be tough. Finding them is sort of like a scavenger hunt, so I'm excited to go explore!

That's it for me. We're starting the registry process tomorrow which will hopefully be fun. I'll try to update again on Sunday. :)

-Ash & Peanut

Ain't that a kick in the head?

About 6 months ago, this huge jerk of an attorney came into Baird & Warner and (VERY long story short) made me cry. He was by far the biggest a$$hole I have ever dealt with before. He got kicked out of our office and is never allowed to come back based on his conduct in the office (thank you Naperville Police!!). So this morning as I'm driving back from class, I look over to see him right next to me, in his ugly orange Camero. Anger instantly welled up inside me, and I had to step back and keep my road rage in check. We ended up driving down Rt 59 for quite awhile, almost side by side, and kept pulling up next to each other. He never looked at me (I know this because I was glaring at him whenever my eyes weren't on the road) but I DID catch him picking his nose. That made me happy. :) The only thing that could have made it better is if I could have seen him get pulled over or something. Anyway... I hold grudges too much. I have to just know that Karma is a b*tch and someday he will get back what he gives to everyone around him. It still would have been funny, though... haha...

Not much is going on other than that. I went to class the last 2 times, then realized when I got there that I didn't need to be there at all. Our teacher was out of town today so we had a sub, and we have 3 lab periods in a row... our next assignment isn't due until next Thursday. This sucks for me because I actually go to class when they aren't taking attendance, and drive all the way out there even though I don't need to because I have Photoshop at home. So next week is the one time I actually DO need to go to lab to print some things for our next assignment. If I would have read my notes, I would have known that I could have basically taken this week off of class and still been fine. OH well... hindsight is 20/20... not the first time I've said that this week.

In Peanut news, I asked Casey to try to put his head on my tummy and see if he could hear Peanut moving around, and Peanut kicked him in the head!! LOL.. I kind of thought that might happen beforehand, but it was funny that it actually did.

That's all for now. I have work this afternoon, then I have tomorrow and the weekend off. Yay!! We're going to register sometime this weekend!! I'm kind of excited... I know it's going to be a long process, but it'll be fun to actually make some decisions about the baby's room and everything. Things are slowly starting to get done!!

Love,

Ash

Soccer Mom?

Last night, while laying in bed, two things happened. One, Casey got to feel one of the biggest kicks Peanut has done so far (hard enough that it made me jump!) and then, not much afterward, Casey saw my stomach jump when Peanut kicked again! I saw this happen 3 times yesterday. I was laying on my back (found that if I prop my head up while I lay down, Peanut almost always kicks) and watching my stomach, and it bounced!! I can't get over how strange that is!! Now I'm starting to consider early enrollment for Peanut in a peewee soccer league.

So that was a pretty neat achievement. It is the first time Casey was absolutely sure that he felt the baby move. There was no question about it!! :-D

In non-Peanut news, I just started my new schedule for work, and had the day off yesterday. I also have today off, which is nice. In fact, I almost like my job more when I don't go to it as often. My paycheck is going to be significantly smaller, but I think it's good that they are weening me off the schedule. They have to get used to me not being there anymore, at least for awhile. I still don't know if I will go back after the baby is born... we'll see how everything works out. Just glad to have options.

I have a lot to do today, but the nice part is that I got some things done yesterday, too, so it's not all crammed into one day. I think I need a time management coach. I get sucked into things like Facebook, blogging, Photoshop, etc., and lose track of time. That said, I should probably get going, but I wanted to update on the newest Peanut event! It was pretty amazing. :)

Love,

Ash

Sleep?

Well, last night was pretty interesting. After a very long, somewhat stressful day, I tried to settle down around 11:30 or 12, but did not have much luck. Case went to bed around midnight, and I tossed and turned for a bit. I was almost asleep when I remembered that Case had asked me to set up the coffee pot so it would start brewing at 5:30 am when he woke up. So I get up and do that. Get back to bed, and actually get to sleep (close to 1:30 at this point), only to wake up at 3:30 because Charley started getting sick. He went outside and ate grass for almost 10 minutes. When I crawled back in bed, Peanut started doing an aerobic workout on my insides... it was pushing really hard on different parts of my stomach, and kicking harder than I remember it kicking before! At one point it almost felt like the head was pressing against just below my ribcage... there was definitely a body part of some kind pushing HARD!!! I wonder if I could have seen something bulging out if I would have been able to look. This went on for awhile. Next thing I know, Casey's alarm is going off. I was then wide awake, so I stayed up watching TV until about 7:30ish. Finally got about 2 more hours of sleep before rolling out of bed. I haven't looked in the mirror yet, but I'm afraid to... the dark circles are probably out of control! VERY glad that I'm not scheduled to work until 1 today...

That's about all I can write for now. A lot went on yesterday, but I don't have the energy to write about it right now. I'll update later. Looking forward to 7:00 tonight when I can come home and attempt to relax again. :)

-Ash

Halloween pics and crib selection

Case and I in our costumes... Michael Myers, and Juno!




We also (finally) bought a crib yesterday! Here's a picture... it's a convertible crib so it will work (theoretically) until Peanut is in college. Glad to have one big items checked off the list!


I'll write more later... it's been an eventful weekend and I'm spent!

Love,

Ash

Pre-Halloween Pics

Pics of the night before Halloween... pumpkin carving and Charley Brown's costume! Enjoy!

Charley's Costume...




Carving pumpkins...


Haha... mine is staring at Peanut!!


My pumpkin & pumpkin belly :)


Casey w/his Charley Pumpkin & Charley Brown


On the porch...

Gearing up for Halloween...

Halloween is almost here!! I found some brown spray-in hair color yesterday after class, so I am all set on the Juno costume. If you can believe it, Casey still doesn't know what he's going to be this year. I don't know what to do with that guy. Sounds like tonight after he gets off work, we're going shopping for whatever he decides to be during the course of the day. Then we're carving pumpkins tonight! We had planned to last night, but we were both so tired after getting off work that we decided to put it off.

I was draaaaaaagging at work yesterday. Not sure why my energy level was so low, although the rainy weather isn't helping! Maybe it was because of all the running around I did on Wednesday afternoon. I took Charley to the pumpkin patch (he had to stay in the car because they had a cat...) so I managed to get 2 huge pumpkins into a cart and roll it up to the register. Found out later I should have asked because they would have helped me... I probably shouldn't have lifted either of them. Lesson learned. After taking Charley back home, I had to head to Walmart for some much-needed grocery shopping. I got all my goods and got in line, only to find out that my gallon of milk decided to explode. The little Indian guy at the counter started freaking out and running around, so I just stood there and watched for a sec until he said, "Ma'am, would you mind going to get another gallon of milk?" I was a little surprised by the request (secretly hoping they would call someone to go get one for me), but felt bad for him, so I waddled all the way on the other side of the store for the milk, then waddled back (even moreso because I'm not used to lugging around a gallon of milk more than a few steps). By the time I got back to the line, there were a bunch of people waiting on me. I must have looked pretty bad at that point (red face, disheveled hair, sweating) and apologized to everyone by saying, "Sorry, I don't move as fast as I used to (while opening my coat and gesturing to my belly, which seemed to work because the annoyed stares turned to sympathy... score one for the baby bump!)... anyway, long story short, by the time I checked out and got to my car, I was absolutely exhausted. Then I had to put everything in the car, and take it out again when I got home (which now takes more trips than it used to because I realize I shouldn't lift very much). I was spent. I came home and sat on the couch for a good 30 minutes afterward. Too much heavy lifting and exercise for one day! So I think that's probably a good reason why my energy level was on the low end Thursday.

As far as work is concerned, they made the part-time schedule for November. At first I was a little upset that I have fewer days next month, but I realize they need to prepare for me to leave in December. I will only work Mondays and Thursdays now. I think this will be a good thing for a lot of reasons. I need to get used to being home more, and start to manage my time better. I am not scheduled to work any weekends next month, either. I have gotten to used to it that now it seems weird, but I will not complain!! I complain about work enough on here as it is. Soon I will probably complain about not working. I promise I'm a happy person! I guess it just takes more for me to be satisfied anymore. Who knows...

Anyway, I should probably get around here and get some things done. Charley is bored and I was thinking about taking him somewhere today so he can socialize. He'll probably be pretty hyped up tomorrow night when our doorbell rings all night long! Can't wait to see all the little neighborhood kids in their costumes!! :) I'll try to post pics on Sunday of our Halloween festivities.

Love,

Ash

PS: Peanut is 23 weeks today!! He/she has had the hiccups quite a few times lately, which is hilarious! Casey felt more substantial movement this week, too! We try to have him feel the baby move every night, but sometimes Peanut is stubborn and won't cooperate. We finally had some success on Thursday!! Yaaaay!!!

The Waiting Game

I know I've been complaining a lot about trying to track down a swine flu vaccine lately, but now I have an even more urgent reason. One of the agents at work tested positive for it on Monday evening, but spent a lot of the day on Monday in our office. She came in even though she had a fever and everything. Then she sent out an e-mail yesterday (which a lot of people overlooked because it was titled "Open House") and casually mentioned that a homeowner asked her not to come to the open house she was holding because she was sick. Sooo... as word spread throughout the office, more and more people started either 1) freaking out about germs, or 2) mentioning that they didn't feel well, either. Another agent came up to the front desk, hacking and coughing, and started grabbing candy out of the candy dish, right in front of us. I probably offended her, but I told her I couldn't be around her at all if she is sick. I backed away and went to the work room. People seriously just need to realize that work can wait, and they should stay home if they're sick!! It's not that difficult! I know the economy sucks right now and everyone needs money, but just be smart about it and take a day or two off! I don't think anything is really life or death as far as real estate goes... although I could be wrong.

So now I have to sit and wait until I can get a vaccine. I would go to the clinic today, but all the latest information says that they still only have the nasal mist, which I am not allowed to take because I'm pregnant. My OBGYN isn't providing the shots, either. Not sure what to do. I guess all I can really do is wait, and be sure to wash my hands often and be cautious. They are leaving me with no choice!

Other than that, I'm trying to get some things accomplished around here. It's been slow so far. I'm planning to go to the local Farmer's Market today to get a few pumpkins to carve in the next few days. The farm closes for the season on Halloween, so I want to go support them! I can't believe we haven't decorated the house at all yet for Halloween. I would imagine that we'll do a lot more next year since Peanut will be around to celebrate. :) I really look forward to going to the pumpkin patch with Peanut & Casey... that will be so much fun! I also can't wait to dress he/she up in their first costume. I have always loved Halloween, so it will be even more fun with a kid around! :)

I guess I should get going now.. more later!

-Ash

Please work, please work, please work...

I took some pictures over the weekend for my homework assignment that is due this Thursday, but I've been having some problems with my Compact Flash (CF) card and it's driving me a little nuts. I'm troubleshooting it right now, but it's taking a long time. Basically, I can see all of the pictures on my camera from my computer, but it won't let me copy them. Stupid, right? I just switched out the USB cable and am hoping for the best... so I'm blogging while I wait for everything to *hopefully* upload... please work please work....

Other than that, things are going pretty well. I'm excited about Halloween, even though we will probably just stay home and hand out candy this year. I doubt it will be 70 degrees like it was last year, but hopefully it won't be cold and rainy like it has been recently. Still trying to figure out what Charley's going to wear... and Casey for that matter. I think he's going to go with wearing his hardhat and lab coat from work, and then we're going to get some make up and make it look like he had an accident or something. His idea, not mine. :) As far as CB goes... no clue. But I guess I still have 4 days to figure it out!

Okay, so it looks like changing the USB cable may have done the trick... hopefully so because then I'll actually have pictures to turn in on Thursday! Kind of pointless to go to lab today when I didn't have anything to bring for it. That's the nice thing about this class.. since Tuesdays are lab, and I have Photoshop at home, we aren't required to come in, and we don't get points taken off if we're not there. I have a good line of communication going with my teacher, so he knows I'm having card/camera/cord issues and is very understanding, as usual. Time to work on homework, then get ready for work. We have another person interviewing today at 3... let's hope she is good, or hell- let's hope she even shows up! That will be an improvement from the norm. :)

-Ash

Pictures, week 22

Stressin' about the Swine Flu

All this craze about the H1N1 vaccine is starting to get to me. I'm at the top of the priority list to get it, but finding one seems nearly impossible. I am willing to risk the crowds of people to stand in line and hope that I am able to get it, but what if they run out before I'm able to? Am I putting my baby's life at risk if I have to wait until mid November to get it? Since I work directly with a lot of people, and a lot of people come in to work even when they are sick, it makes me really nervous. So many people are sick right now... I really don't want to risk it.

The first clinic is scheduled to open this Wednesday at 3 pm, so I'm planning to go. The only problem right now is that people are saying that only the mist is available (which pregnant women aren't supposed to have), but they *may* have the shot available at that time. I guess all I can really do is try. Hopefully it won't be a big waste of time and energy... and hopefully it won't be a million people trying to do the same thing I am.

Ideally, my OBGYN would provide one for me, or make sure I'm on the list to get one, since pregnant women seem to be at the top of the priority list right now... but instead it seems to be completely up to chance. I just hope things go in my favor and I'm able to get the shot before anything bad happens!!!

Thanks for letting me stress...

-Ash

Early morning for me...

I'm awake right now but really wish I wasn't. Oh well, I will get used to this one of these days... :) Just wanted to update that my "mentor" at work had to have an emergency c-section yesterday, and that baby Dominick was born and is doing well! She was only at 34 weeks, so it was pretty scary, but it sounds like everything is going really well for she and the little guy. It is going to be strange not seeing her at work now! I don't know if she'll come back anytime soon, if at all. It's also strange because now I'll be the only pregnant Ashley at work (which is weird enough to write!). I am really glad that everything went well for them. We just had a baby shower for her at work last Tuesday, and not even a week later, she's a mom!! Crazy stuff!

Case and I did more crib hunting yesterday. We have finally narrowed it down to about 4 cribs. By this time next weekend, we plan to have picked one out and put it on order. Everyone is telling us that we're being smart doing it early, but after thinking about Ashlee's situation with Dominick, I have to think that earlier is better! You just never know when they might be ready to enter the world.

Speaking of kids, after we got done shopping last night, we came home and I tried to take pictures for class because the sun finally came out. While I was outside, Casey started raking the leaves in our front yard. Two of the neighbor kids came over, and by the time I got back to the house after wandering the neighborhood, I saw them both helping Case rake the leaves. This was short-lived because, as siblings tend to do, they started having a competition and throwing leaves at each other. At one point, one of them was sitting on top of the other, trying to shove leaves in the other's mouth. I think because I'm an only child, I couldn't fully understand the rivalry between them, but I almost felt like a referee at times. They were pretty intense! I was happy when their dad came over and broke it up. Not only that, but the boy (who has a bit of a reputation on the street for mistreating animals) kept throwing leaves at Charley and scaring him. I ended up having to yell at him twice because he wouldn't stop. I don't like trying to discipline kids I don't really know... it's awkward. I did take some mental notes, though. Definitely had a little chat with Peanut about it and we've decided that he/she would will not act that when they get old enough. I have also decided that those kids will never, ever dog-sit!

One more thing!!! We are going to be able to go to Columbia to visit in early December! I think we're booking our tickets today. I am donating at least half of my birthday money to the trip, because I don't think we'll be able to go back anytime soon if we don't do it now. To any Columbia folks actually reading this, we will be there from late Thursday, December 3rd, to early Sunday, December 6th. We plan to spend all day Friday at USC, trying to see as many people as possible, then Saturday we'll try to catch up with anyone we missed. It's going to be insane, and I'm already a little worn out thinking about it, but I am SUPER excited to go and I know it will be a blast! :-D

Anyway, I guess that's about all for now. It's 6 am and I have to get up in a few hours to get ready to go to work again. :( Oh well, more $ is always good.

Love,

Ash