Ah, a great day...

27 Weeks

25 Weeks

Today was such a great day: I did not drive anywhere!!

My car just sat there in the garage, protected from the elements and from burning endless amounts of fossil fuels.

Today was such a great day: I slept in until nearly 10:00 am!!

I just tossed and turned and kept on sleepin', laughing when the baby danced and just laying around even though I was really awake.

Today was such a great day: I actually completed some homework!

That crap ain't even due until Wednesday and I still sat my butt down to work on it in advance of the actual due date. Man I am good.

Today was such a great day: I cleaned out some stuff from the baby's room and packed up all that preggo clothing I've been meaning to send to Amy.

Today was such a great day: I completed a thank-you album for one of the ladies throwing me a baby shower. It is all done in one day!

Today was such a great day: My darling husband came home!!

I fixed dinner for him and we sat and talked. I even did the dishes because I did not have to be anywhere.

Today was such a great day.

Toothbrushes and Kidneys

Hello all.

I'd like to tell you that I've been writing a novel, curing cancer, or even getting some rest, but none of those are reasons for not having updated this not-quite-that-exciting tomb of Stacey's life miscellany for so long.

Let's see what's been going on for the past month:

I've been brushing my teeth with my newly resurrected Sonic-care toothbrush. That thing is a fabulous advancement for mankind. Just two minutes to stare at the wall and be completely taken care of. I mean, it is the ultimate in lazy - much like many of our modern day "conveniences". I don't even have to move my arm! But, if this is a sonicare advertisement, you must know what a fabulous job it does. This coming from the gal who is excited to get floss in her Christmas stocking (thank you Kylie) and for my b-day (thank you Katie).

I've been competing with Blaine for most-miles-driven. He does about 1,000 per week in his truck (or so he says). I am averaging 800, because I only have my Saturday class every-other week. Maybe one of you will volunteer to be the Director of Weights & Measures for us? I'm sure that I will beat him with all my additional trips to Salinas and back. **NOTE: do not purchase a Ford if you will be traveling any distance. They are NOT comfortable. Repeat, no Fords. (If you talk to Blaine, please reccommend the driving comfort of a BMW for his pregnant wife.

I've also taken a trip to the hospital in September. I had some bleeding and MAJOR pain in my right abdomen: so of course we thought the worst. Upon arrival to SVMH we walked right up to labor & delivery (as instructed by the doctor over the phone) ...
...side note: I was only 26 weeks & totally praying that neither 'labor' or 'delivery' would be applying to me...
...they immediately monitor the baby & everything is fine with her. However, some little elf is running around a tiny hamster wheel on my right side throwing nun-chucks while stabbing me with his little double-edged sword. I'm thinking for sure my appendix has burst & I am bleeding internally and about to die. Blaine was just relieved because there were two monitors on my belly and the baby's heartbeat was echoing throughout the room at a healthy 140-150 beats per minute.
Back to the pain in my side: they did some very unpleasant tests and, after waiting in agony for an additional hour or so, determined that I had a kidney infection, or a urinary tract infection, or kidney stones. Then, the novice nurse proceeds to poke my hand and arm FIVE, yes five, times prior to successfully protruding a vein in order to start the IV for the antibiotic.
That was the long story; the short one is that in September I went to the hospital to find out that I had a kidney problem (babe is OK), and the follow-up ultra sound showed no kidney stones, so it must have been a kidney infection. And a kidney infection is freakin painful.

So that is the excitement for the month. I will get off my tush and upload some photos soon.

For Cousin Patty

Here's my "updated belly pic", upon request from Cousin Patty...

21 Weeks

8/22/07 (Amanda's B-day)

22 Weeks

8/29/07

The babe is REALLY moving around! It feels like she's doing kickboxing. No slight rolling or anything like that, just ramming the sides of her doting mommy's abdomen.

I was reading (a lot) this weekend & took a couple of moments to sit back & look down at my belly. It was like a muscle spasm every 20-30 seconds. I could SEE my belly moving from the baby's punches! Even Blaine could see it. It was so weird, yet not weird all at the same time.

I bet my baby is doing flip-turns: swimming from side to side & pushing off the left to flip over & swim to the right. Yeah, I've got a swim prodigy in my belly.

In other news:

I started school on Monday, August 27th (hence the reading all labor day weekend). This Master's business is tough - SO MUCH READING!!! I do enjoy the subject matter, and it is very relevant to my everyday life (philosophy) and to my job (Research Methods & evaluation). I am excited to catch up to Amanda & Jodi in the education department. I am even more excited to achieve this goal (on my list of 100 things to do in my life cousin Patty!).

To paraphrase my latest reading - please excuse the absence of a citation...

"If anything is worth the doing, it is worth doing badly."

(an argument for leisure)

Hey Baby Girl!

Baby Girl Wilson

8.23.07

OK, so I was totally wrong. Wrong about the babe being a boy, wrong about being scared of girls, and wrong about wanting a boy!

When the technician said, "we'll it's very obviously a girl" (I spared the little one by not sharing the x-rated photo)...

it just felt right.

"Hello!"

I couldn't even look at Blaine on my left side because of the tears streaming down my right side as we watched the little 1 pound baby GIRL move around on screen. After a while, he poked my side & gave me a whispered & half-hearted "I told you so".



We were both just so amazed at the details we could see of our little GIRL. We could see the heart valves opening and closing...brain details...her hands moving around (I couldn't even feel it!)...her kidneys...and of course her (cough) nether-regions.

Little Feet

Tomorrow is the big day!

Hola people!

So tomorrow is the big ultrasound-to-find-out-the-sex-of-the-baby day!

Here's my thoughts on boy or girl:

I think it will be a boy. Or do I just hope for a boy? Who knows? I just always imagined myself as a mom to 3 or 4 boys. Maybe it is just to make up for my life full of girls/women. Lord knows I have enough girl drama in my life as it is. Girls are just so much drama - I should know, because I am one! There is always hurt feelings and major overtures. Boys just get mad then move on with life. That's one thing I envy Blaine. We fight and he's totally fine in the morning. I am the one who stews and doesn't sleep all night.

So that's that. I'm scared my daugter will be just like me! But, that pretty much guarantees that God wants me to grow through the experience of being mom to a girl.

Blaine thinks it will be a girl. His reasons for everything are much more simple: he just thinks it.

(see how boys are easier than girls?)

We'll update everyone tomorrow.

New New New

Parker John Evans

Born August 3rd, 2007

8:07 am

6 pounds, 15 ounces

I was SHOCKED when I first glanced at Parker. He looked just like us! I can't tell you exactly which of his features was most "Cheatham", but the overall look was pure Amanda. Normally, I just think all babies are identical. In truth, most of them are. but looking at Parker was like looking into a mirror or something!

Something special I share with him is the dimple in his chin. Neither his mom or dad have it. Just me & him.

When I heard of Amanda's first couple signs of going into labor I drove right up to Fairfield. Good thing, too. I was able to stay with Trevor while Amanda & Brian went to the hospital. I just love hanging out with Trevor. he was in a great mood the whole time, and just wanted to play, play, play. His laugh is so infectious!

This photo is my fav. He has this great smirk on his face, like he's either about to challenge you or he's about to be really funny. Either way, he wants your attention. It's great.

I think Blaine & I will try to go up so he can meet Parker next weekend. Um, Amanda is that OK with you? I just am inviting myself!

Now here is my last Wednesday Belly Picture.

Please ignore the furry hair. We were getting ready for bed & almost forgot about the weekly ritual. I'm not sure if you can tell, but my belly is actually sticking out a bit now! It is impossible to suck in, wear normal clothes, or wear pregnancy clothes. I swear I wear some stretchy PJ shorts and a different color tank top every day. It is all I can manage!

As for movement, I really have no idea if I feel gassy, or bloated, or baby. Everyone uses the term "fluttering" to describe the baby's first motions, but I just feet cramps. They feel just like menstrual cramps. Every day my muscles, tendons, uterus, and other stuff must be stretching and moving, because I can sure feel that!

My mood swing indicator is on: EXCITED this week. I am not worried too much about being a terrible mom and leaving my kid on the hood of the car this week. This is mostly thanks to Trevor and Jodi. I obviously love my neices & nephews. They light up my day & I love to play with them. Trevor helped me to be excited about caring for my own child.

Then, Jodi sent me a little birthday thank-you card with the nicest sentiment on it: she said "I continue to be impressed with your patience and care with Trevor - you are going to be such a great mom!" Even now I am getting a little choked up about how nice that was of her.

So, thank you Jodi, Trevor, and of course Mr. Baby Excitement himself - Blaine. I am growing in confidence with your support.

Fine, here's my 16 week photo already!

Week 15

Week 16

Yes, yes... I pretty much look exactly the same every week.

This is really OK.



Life Update:

• Amanda is due any day now.
• Jodi is preggo with IDENTICAL twins (due: beginning of Feb '08).
• Amy is now pregnant & due March 20-something.
• Kylie is NOT PREGNANT.
• Burt....don't even think about it.
• our house has not yet sold, although people still look at it once a week or two.
• Blaine is back from his trip to St. Louis for business.
• The kids in Soledad go back to school in 3 weeks :)
• Maybe then I will have some time to post on this blog more often (or anything else for that matter).

I might as well just get something off my chest. It is not as though anyone reads this thing anyhow... this thing is definitely more like therapy for me.

I digress.

My sister Amy did not call me back 2 months ago when I left her a message that I am pregnant. She did not call me to announce her pregnancy on Friday. She hates me. She writes me hate letters. She actually wrote a compare and contrast essay about me & the devil in high school... and kept it. She acuses me of not being compassionate. She highlights only my flaws of bluntness and brutal honesty. She hates me. She will not respond to my repeated attempts at amendment. Did I mention that she hates me?

I have a real hard time with this. Some people in my life tell me that I should write her off. They say that there are toxic people out there that only wish to accuse and never take any blame in a situation. They say that move on with my life as though I have only 3 sisters. I just can't.

In the meantime, I hurt. I know this is her plan. She wants me to hurt as much as my blunt words have hurt her in the past.

It is working.

I hurt.

I am sorry. I have tried to work on my compassion. I am definitely a better person than I was 10 years ago when I lived with her last. I am a better person than 6 years ago when I last lived in the same state as her. I am a better person still than I was last year when I told her the truth instead of offering a symathetic ear.

And yet she lives her life each day winning the battle of whom is hurting who. She intentionally doles out this painful hatred.

I wish I could say I am above it and it does not effect me.

But it does.

I know we will never be best friends. I know I will never be the kind of person who responds to the fishing-for-a-compliment complaint of "I'm fat" with a kindly "oh, no, you are very thin". I am more likely to say "then stop eating so much". I won't be able to change completely, but I can learn to keep my mouth shut (then why did I type this long blog post?).

I'm still a work in progress...