Our little one is 21 weeks as of Saturday (forgot to post before midnight, sorry!). I can't believe I am over halfway through my pregnancy. Though our son seems to be ready to run a marathon... he is kicking harder than ever! It is usually when I am sitting or laying down, but it happens every day now.
I also noticed that my tummy is starting to get in the way and I am starting to run into things with my new shape since I am not used to being this round! My doc says I am right on schedule for weight gain, though, and I am staying active with prenatal yoga and lots of walking so I will have the energy to chase after a little boy!
Here is what is going on with our little on this week:
Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to his activity as you get to know him better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.
So, pretty much what I have been experiencing! Our little one was 10 ounces at our ultrasound at 20 weeks. Our next doctor's appt isn't till mid February, and then on the 20th we take a hospital tour and paint the nursery green for our forest! The (possible) murals will have to wait though till March, we'll do it in shifts so it is not an overwhelming project. :-)
That's all for now....
Oh, also.... I think we chose a name. But we're not telling what it is yet, just in case. :-D
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Murphy's January
This week our washer completely stopped working (as in squealed and then came to a grinding halt and wouldn't turn on). Since we are doing cloth diapering, we decided we needed to get a dependable new one and not another used one (our old one was a craigslist find, $400 for the pair). We can't quite afford the one I WANT right now, the energy efficient front-loading variety, so for $418 we settled on a sturdy top loader with extra capacity to be delivered and installed for free by Home Depot next Wednesday.
THEN, I go in to Les Schwab today to have our studded tires changed back to regular ones (the flowers are coming up for goodness sakes and it hasn't been icy for weeks) and they say two of them are so worn they can't put them on the car because they are a safety hazard. $135 for two new tires. I sighed and agreed, deciding that bringing baby home in a car with bald tires isn't a good idea. So the emergency fund took a second hit.
I am pushing for the month to be over so that we don't have any more surprise expenses... anyone with me?
All I have to say, though, is that if Dave Ramsey hadn't told us to BE PREPARED for rainy days because IT WILL RAIN, we wouldn't have the money and would be hyperventilating into brown paper bags about now. But no, thank goodness God has provided us the wisdom via the Dave Ramsey plan to have an emergency fund for just such times as these. It's raining, and we were prepared. Praise the Lord!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
20 week bump pic!
I am now officially 20 weeks as of yesterday! And since it's been 4 weeks since the last bump pic, here is the progression thus far with a new bump pic!
4 weeks
8 weeks
12 weeks
16 weeks
20 weeks!
20 weeks!
Here is what is going on this week with our little monkey:
Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)
He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).
I also know he is moving around a lot more, as I feel him kicking every night (never in the mornings... must be a night owl like his mama!). We are starting to think about names but haven't nailed anything down yet... I've been feeling unwell for the past couple days and therefore haven't gotten much done in the baby name department. Oh well, we have lots of time!
I also went out today and FINALLY bought myself some new shoes with my birthday money. I splurged and bought some Nikes that have good support for lots of walking and have this awesome feature called Nike +... basically, you put this transmitter into a hole on the inside of the shoe (under the insole) and it records your steps, then sends that info to your iPod and records distance, calories burned, pace, and time of your walk/workout. Then, as you listen to music on your iPod as you walk, it talks to you every once in awhile to tell you how you are doing and details about you time/pace/distance. If you set a calorie burning goal and you are starting to slow down, it will let you know you need to speed up, which is when you can hit the middle button on your iPod for a "power song" to get you moving again.
I tried the whole system out while walking around the house for 10 minutes and it is awesome! Then I hooked my iPod up to my computer and it sent my workout info to the Nike + website where it stores my progress. Isn't technology amazing? I am just glad I decided to buy something for ME for once, something that will keep me in shape and help me lose the baby weight after our little one is born. The only downside is having to take the transmitter out when you are just running errands, otherwise it loses battery life by trying to find the iPod while you are walking. Still, I am glad I bought the shoes. They are a bit wider than the other shoes I tried on as well, just in case my feet expand during the next few months!
Here is a pic of my beautiful new shoes!
4 weeks
8 weeks
12 weeks
16 weeks
20 weeks!
20 weeks!
Here is what is going on this week with our little monkey:
Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)
He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).
I also know he is moving around a lot more, as I feel him kicking every night (never in the mornings... must be a night owl like his mama!). We are starting to think about names but haven't nailed anything down yet... I've been feeling unwell for the past couple days and therefore haven't gotten much done in the baby name department. Oh well, we have lots of time!
I also went out today and FINALLY bought myself some new shoes with my birthday money. I splurged and bought some Nikes that have good support for lots of walking and have this awesome feature called Nike +... basically, you put this transmitter into a hole on the inside of the shoe (under the insole) and it records your steps, then sends that info to your iPod and records distance, calories burned, pace, and time of your walk/workout. Then, as you listen to music on your iPod as you walk, it talks to you every once in awhile to tell you how you are doing and details about you time/pace/distance. If you set a calorie burning goal and you are starting to slow down, it will let you know you need to speed up, which is when you can hit the middle button on your iPod for a "power song" to get you moving again.
I tried the whole system out while walking around the house for 10 minutes and it is awesome! Then I hooked my iPod up to my computer and it sent my workout info to the Nike + website where it stores my progress. Isn't technology amazing? I am just glad I decided to buy something for ME for once, something that will keep me in shape and help me lose the baby weight after our little one is born. The only downside is having to take the transmitter out when you are just running errands, otherwise it loses battery life by trying to find the iPod while you are walking. Still, I am glad I bought the shoes. They are a bit wider than the other shoes I tried on as well, just in case my feet expand during the next few months!
Here is a pic of my beautiful new shoes!
Friday, January 22, 2010
It's a....
BOY!! We are so excited! Surprised, yes, as we thought for sure it was a girl, but he's all boy! We haven't come up with a name yet, I think that will be this weekend's project. The first picture is a 3D image that shows the baby with his arm over the side of his face with his other hand cupped over his face. They said most babies look pretty skeletal at this stage, so we aren't worried about that. He was squirming around a lot, but was cooperative for most of the exam.
We also got to see his kidneys, diaphragm, heart (with different colors showing the blood pumping through the chambers), limbs, and brain! It was all really amazing. The baby now weighs 10 oz and is healthy according to all the tests!
It was a fun and exciting afternoon!! We love our little peanut and are happy we now have a use for all those hand-me-down baby clothes from Asher and Levi. :-) And our little boy will have two little boy cousins to play with who are only about 21 months older!
In all honesty, Eliot and I were thinking girl so much we have to switch our brains into "boy" mode, which is quite an adjustment. But we are in no way sad to be getting a healthy little boy! One more Mariner's fan to add to the team!
Go team blue!!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Quilts!
Mom and I spent the last day making three baby quilts for our little one... in gender neutral colors so we can use it for whatever kiddos we have, even though we will find out the gender tomorrow afternoon at 3pm!!
Here are pictures of the three quilts:
Close up of the prints:
All three quilts!
We didn't have time to put on the appliques... here is a ducky one we have and I may get two more to put in the center of the quilts:
Here are pictures of the three quilts:
 |
| From Baby stuff! |
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| From Baby stuff! |
 |
| From Baby stuff! |
Close up of the prints:
 |
| From Baby stuff! |
 |
| From Baby stuff! |
All three quilts!
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| From Baby stuff! |
We didn't have time to put on the appliques... here is a ducky one we have and I may get two more to put in the center of the quilts:
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| From Baby stuff! |
Saturday, January 16, 2010
19 weeks! Little heirloom tomato!!
I am 19 weeks today! One week away from the halfway point! Today has been filled with activity (cleaning the house, shopping, and working on the nursery). The down side to an active day is the round ligament pain associated with it... by the end of the day I am so exhausted and sore that I can't do anything but sit and watch the Office. :-)
I am also getting REALLY excited to find out the gender of the baby next week! I keep wanting to register for stuff that is gender specific, but can't. And when I am in the store I have to just bypass the baby section since I will be tempted to buy (pink) stuff. Boy? Girl? Boy? Girl? Who knows!
I have also been craving grilled cheese and grapefruits this week. Not at the same time. I also made a big pan of brownies tonight... yum!
Mom is coming down this next week and we are making some baby quilts with fabric we bought this past week (gender neutral, with critters so it will match the nursery!). I am SO excited to spend time with my mom and make something for our little one. I have been doctoring up old receiving blankets, putting ribbon on them and making them pretty to use as burp cloths. Eliot thought I was nuts making something look good that our baby will be throwing up on... I said, "Hey, I'm nesting! Let me have this!"
We have decided to put the name search on hold till after we know the gender... it's pretty narrowed down anyway, but I think we are just tired of not knowing what we are having, and knowing will make the decision process easier. I can't believe we have the responsibility of NAMING another person! But as my Jane Kirkpatrick books always remind me, to name is to love. I want to make sure it is meaningful and well-suited to our little one.
Here is what is going on with baby Grasso this week:
Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.
Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.
I am also getting REALLY excited to find out the gender of the baby next week! I keep wanting to register for stuff that is gender specific, but can't. And when I am in the store I have to just bypass the baby section since I will be tempted to buy (pink) stuff. Boy? Girl? Boy? Girl? Who knows!
I have also been craving grilled cheese and grapefruits this week. Not at the same time. I also made a big pan of brownies tonight... yum!
Mom is coming down this next week and we are making some baby quilts with fabric we bought this past week (gender neutral, with critters so it will match the nursery!). I am SO excited to spend time with my mom and make something for our little one. I have been doctoring up old receiving blankets, putting ribbon on them and making them pretty to use as burp cloths. Eliot thought I was nuts making something look good that our baby will be throwing up on... I said, "Hey, I'm nesting! Let me have this!"
We have decided to put the name search on hold till after we know the gender... it's pretty narrowed down anyway, but I think we are just tired of not knowing what we are having, and knowing will make the decision process easier. I can't believe we have the responsibility of NAMING another person! But as my Jane Kirkpatrick books always remind me, to name is to love. I want to make sure it is meaningful and well-suited to our little one.
Here is what is going on with baby Grasso this week:
Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.
Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Weekly survey- Week 18
How far along? 18 weeks and 5 days.
Total weight gain/loss: About 10 lbs.
Sleep: Pregnancy insomnia. I wake up about 2am (if I am asleep by then) and NEED to eat something. Then I am wide awake and can't sleep!
Best moment this week: When I slept for 14 hours last night.
Symptoms: Lots of growing pains, tire easily. My eyesight has changed so I am LESS nearsighted than I used to be... this would be good except I am between my contacts and my old glasses, so everything is a bit fuzzy.
Symptoms I DON'T have: Headaches and nausea.
Gender: Still thinking pink! We find out next week!
What I miss: Relaxing time at home. This week has included a lot of running around and not much time to just rest.
What I am looking forward to: GENDER ULTRASOUND on the 22nd!!!
Weekly Wisdom: Knowing when to stop and do something physically for myself before doing things that need done. Like needing to eat or rest before cleaning the carpets.
Milestones: Looking preggo!
Total weight gain/loss: About 10 lbs.
Sleep: Pregnancy insomnia. I wake up about 2am (if I am asleep by then) and NEED to eat something. Then I am wide awake and can't sleep!
Best moment this week: When I slept for 14 hours last night.
Symptoms: Lots of growing pains, tire easily. My eyesight has changed so I am LESS nearsighted than I used to be... this would be good except I am between my contacts and my old glasses, so everything is a bit fuzzy.
Symptoms I DON'T have: Headaches and nausea.
Gender: Still thinking pink! We find out next week!
What I miss: Relaxing time at home. This week has included a lot of running around and not much time to just rest.
What I am looking forward to: GENDER ULTRASOUND on the 22nd!!!
Weekly Wisdom: Knowing when to stop and do something physically for myself before doing things that need done. Like needing to eat or rest before cleaning the carpets.
Milestones: Looking preggo!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Happy Birthday to Me
Today was my 26th birthday... I feel older. Probably because I am soon to be responsible for another human being besides myself. :-)
I had a nice relaxing birthday. Eliot let me open some of my presents at midnight, and I got a GREAT 5-disc DVD player from Dad, plus some lotion, DVDs, and a book from my in-laws. Today, I woke up to see this on the table:
Eliot had gotten me Pinocchio, a Shawn McDonald CD, and a label maker! I immediately used it making labels for the drawers in the nursery so everything stays organized. After a birthday visit from Jake and Jodi, we found a package on the porch from Aunt Diane with 3 One Size Bum Genius 3.0 cloth diapers in it! Here is what they look like in the packaging:
These diapers are good from birth through potty training... we still need about 21 more, but this is a good start!! Our first diapers!!
Eliot and I went out for sushi (I had all cooked stuff, no worries), and then went to Borders (I know, *GASP*) to look at children's books. We ended up getting the complete stories of Beatrix Potter in one big book, which has many cute critter illustrations we may be able to use as murals in the nursery. I don't know exactly what I have planned for the walls, yet, but a critter or two and maybe a big tree in the corner is what I am leaning towards. Maybe my paint assistants can help me brainstorm what would look best.
Other than that, we bought a crib mattress and mattress protector at Walmart on our way home. I then took a whole bunch of pop cans (courtesy of Jake and Jodi) and put pennies in them, taping over the open tops afterward. Then we put the cans in the crib (the cans were clean and I put the mattress protector on first just in case...the purpose of this is to deter the cat from sleeping or jumping in the crib. If he does, the sound will startle him and deter him from trying to jump in again. I am hoping this works as we obviously can't leave the cans in there once the baby gets here!
So that is my birthday in a nutshell. Any monetary gifts received are going towards new SHOES (walking shoes) for me since my shoes have holes in them, and then the rest will probably go towards fabric for a baby quilt and diaper inserts.
Here I am (in my comfy clothes, we forgot to take a pic earlier), age 26:
I had a nice relaxing birthday. Eliot let me open some of my presents at midnight, and I got a GREAT 5-disc DVD player from Dad, plus some lotion, DVDs, and a book from my in-laws. Today, I woke up to see this on the table:
 |
| From Winter 2009/2010 |
Eliot had gotten me Pinocchio, a Shawn McDonald CD, and a label maker! I immediately used it making labels for the drawers in the nursery so everything stays organized. After a birthday visit from Jake and Jodi, we found a package on the porch from Aunt Diane with 3 One Size Bum Genius 3.0 cloth diapers in it! Here is what they look like in the packaging:
 |
| From Winter 2009/2010 |
These diapers are good from birth through potty training... we still need about 21 more, but this is a good start!! Our first diapers!!
Eliot and I went out for sushi (I had all cooked stuff, no worries), and then went to Borders (I know, *GASP*) to look at children's books. We ended up getting the complete stories of Beatrix Potter in one big book, which has many cute critter illustrations we may be able to use as murals in the nursery. I don't know exactly what I have planned for the walls, yet, but a critter or two and maybe a big tree in the corner is what I am leaning towards. Maybe my paint assistants can help me brainstorm what would look best.
Other than that, we bought a crib mattress and mattress protector at Walmart on our way home. I then took a whole bunch of pop cans (courtesy of Jake and Jodi) and put pennies in them, taping over the open tops afterward. Then we put the cans in the crib (the cans were clean and I put the mattress protector on first just in case...the purpose of this is to deter the cat from sleeping or jumping in the crib. If he does, the sound will startle him and deter him from trying to jump in again. I am hoping this works as we obviously can't leave the cans in there once the baby gets here!
So that is my birthday in a nutshell. Any monetary gifts received are going towards new SHOES (walking shoes) for me since my shoes have holes in them, and then the rest will probably go towards fabric for a baby quilt and diaper inserts.
Here I am (in my comfy clothes, we forgot to take a pic earlier), age 26:
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| From Winter 2009/2010 |
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| From Winter 2009/2010 |
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Rainforest mirror
When I was out and about shopping for baskets for the changing table, I found this cute mirror for the backseat of the car so we can see the baby when he/she is turned backwards. It was only $10 at Ross and it is $30 everywhere else I've seen!
Here is a pic of the mirror:
It has jungle music you can play for 20, 40, or 60 min. All the reviews I've read
(after purchasing) say it is really great for entertaining and calming baby in the car. I am just excited that I got the ONLY one left at Ross for $20 off retail!!
Here is a pic of the mirror:
It has jungle music you can play for 20, 40, or 60 min. All the reviews I've read
(after purchasing) say it is really great for entertaining and calming baby in the car. I am just excited that I got the ONLY one left at Ross for $20 off retail!!
18 weeks! Little Bell Pepper!+ Doctor's appt update
I am 18 weeks as of Saturday, though I am writing this on Friday night (late) as we had a doctor's appt today.
Everything is looking really good, uterus growth is normal (almost to my belly button!) and the baby's heartbeat is between 143-153bpm, which our doctor said changes often while the baby is moving. She said even the baby moving it's arm or leg can change it's heart rate... I asked her why and she said they don't know why. :-)
We scheduled our gender ultrasound for January 22nd... only 2 more weeks till we know if we are on team pink or blue!! I am SO ready to move on from looking for only gender neutral stuff, and I would love to call our baby "he" or "she" and not "it".
In other news, I am ALWAYS hungry. In fact, I am going to go make a grilled cheese sandwich for a snack before bed! (I've only gained 4lbs this month, so we are right on track weight-wise!).
Here is what is going on with our little one this week:
Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.
Everything is looking really good, uterus growth is normal (almost to my belly button!) and the baby's heartbeat is between 143-153bpm, which our doctor said changes often while the baby is moving. She said even the baby moving it's arm or leg can change it's heart rate... I asked her why and she said they don't know why. :-)
We scheduled our gender ultrasound for January 22nd... only 2 more weeks till we know if we are on team pink or blue!! I am SO ready to move on from looking for only gender neutral stuff, and I would love to call our baby "he" or "she" and not "it".
In other news, I am ALWAYS hungry. In fact, I am going to go make a grilled cheese sandwich for a snack before bed! (I've only gained 4lbs this month, so we are right on track weight-wise!).
Here is what is going on with our little one this week:
Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Weekly survey- Week 17
How far along? 17 weeks and 5 days.
Total weight gain/loss: My guess is probably about 6-10lbs so far, but I'll know for sure on Friday at our next appt.
Sleep: Mellowing out, I go to bed around 2:30 and wake up around 11:30-noon. Today I slept in though... felt so good!
Best moment this week: Had a walk with mom in the park, bought new maternity clothes, and got both a glider and a crib!!
Symptoms: Headaches often, body aches, back aches, hunger
Symptoms I DON'T have: Nausea... seem to be ok as long as I eat and drink well.
Gender: I look longingly at the pink clothes in the store, does that mean anything?
What I miss: Having the house in order... the furniture is in chaos, the nursery full of unorganized stuff, and the table is covered in random stuff. Eliot has been busy studying for his exam so nothing has been getting done. I did clean the bathrooms and mop the floors today, and did the laundry yesterday... does that count?
What I am looking forward to: Our doctor's appt this Friday when we will get to schedule our U/S to find out the gender!
Weekly Wisdom: Find joy in the small things, enjoy each moment. And put yourself higher on the priority list than the cat and the yard.
Milestones: Feeling more kicks, like little flutters. Almost like I'm on a roller coaster sometimes!
Total weight gain/loss: My guess is probably about 6-10lbs so far, but I'll know for sure on Friday at our next appt.
Sleep: Mellowing out, I go to bed around 2:30 and wake up around 11:30-noon. Today I slept in though... felt so good!
Best moment this week: Had a walk with mom in the park, bought new maternity clothes, and got both a glider and a crib!!
Symptoms: Headaches often, body aches, back aches, hunger
Symptoms I DON'T have: Nausea... seem to be ok as long as I eat and drink well.
Gender: I look longingly at the pink clothes in the store, does that mean anything?
What I miss: Having the house in order... the furniture is in chaos, the nursery full of unorganized stuff, and the table is covered in random stuff. Eliot has been busy studying for his exam so nothing has been getting done. I did clean the bathrooms and mop the floors today, and did the laundry yesterday... does that count?
What I am looking forward to: Our doctor's appt this Friday when we will get to schedule our U/S to find out the gender!
Weekly Wisdom: Find joy in the small things, enjoy each moment. And put yourself higher on the priority list than the cat and the yard.
Milestones: Feeling more kicks, like little flutters. Almost like I'm on a roller coaster sometimes!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Little old me
"He counts the stars
and calls them all by name."
Psalm 147:4
I've come to realize that I don't place value in taking care of myself. This is not an easy thing to admit... I like to think I have a lot of independence and strength, which I do, but somewhere along the line I began to place everyone else and everything above my needs (needs, not wants, including things like clothes). Sometimes this is a good thing... it allows me to put others first and serve the Lord. But it does have it's downside.
I was talking to my mom tonight and was listing my priorities in life, and it went something like this:
God
Eliot/Baby
Family
Friends
House
Yard
Cars
Me
This explains why I will budget in a pitchfork to turn the compost but I am still using eyeshadow from our wedding almost 4 years ago. I will budget $20 for Eliot to have coffee with colleagues but survive on one pair of pants that fit for months on end. Eliot has a haircut every month, I have one once a year(ish). I don't own a pair of comfortable shoes that don't have holes forming, and I haven't bought a new purse in at least 3 years (I have made a few, but that didn't cost us money). I just can't seem to justify spending money on something for just ME.
Eliot said the other day that he feels like an adult, partly because he only asks for gifts that will make his work easier, no toys. I thought about what I asked for for Christmas... baby stuff, a carpet cleaner, a hand vac and functional items like gift cards to Target so we can buy stuff we need for the house. Luckily my family knows to get me some things that are just for me (lotion, books, food dehydrator, etc) because I won't ask for them... I feel guilty asking for them.
The book I am reading by Jane Kirkpatrick is about a woman named Marie Dorion who came across the US in the Astor fur expedition after Lewis and Clark. She was the only woman in the group, and later she became famous by being one of the few who survived a winter in the mountains after her husband was brutally murdered by natives. She also saved her two children from starvation and the cold. She became a legend, written about in the book Astoria, and people came asking to meet her for years. She could never understand it, why they would want to meet her. She always just claimed she did what she had to for her children, to survive. She never saw her value either.
I'm not saying I've done anything so terrific as avoid starvation in a tundra, but it does make me think about how little I value myself when I won't spend money on something so necessary as clothing for myself (even before I became pregnant and needed them I still felt I couldn't do this). It isn't that I don't like to buy nice clothes or look good... I just can't see myself as worth the expense.
I'm working on this. The Lord sees all the stars in the sky and he calls them all by name... if He can remember all those, He remembers me. And I need to remember me too. I was created with value.
This is a hard lesson to learn, but I am going to try to spend more time and *gasp* money on taking care of me. I need to learn this before I lose myself completely in my children and my husband, whom I love dearly and wish to serve.
So, here I am, enjoying my last few days of being 25, and coming to realize that I, too, deserve new things once in awhile when needed. And occasionally even just plain desired. I need to take care of myself so I can take care of my family.
and calls them all by name."
Psalm 147:4
I've come to realize that I don't place value in taking care of myself. This is not an easy thing to admit... I like to think I have a lot of independence and strength, which I do, but somewhere along the line I began to place everyone else and everything above my needs (needs, not wants, including things like clothes). Sometimes this is a good thing... it allows me to put others first and serve the Lord. But it does have it's downside.
I was talking to my mom tonight and was listing my priorities in life, and it went something like this:
God
Eliot/Baby
Family
Friends
House
Yard
Cars
Me
This explains why I will budget in a pitchfork to turn the compost but I am still using eyeshadow from our wedding almost 4 years ago. I will budget $20 for Eliot to have coffee with colleagues but survive on one pair of pants that fit for months on end. Eliot has a haircut every month, I have one once a year(ish). I don't own a pair of comfortable shoes that don't have holes forming, and I haven't bought a new purse in at least 3 years (I have made a few, but that didn't cost us money). I just can't seem to justify spending money on something for just ME.
Eliot said the other day that he feels like an adult, partly because he only asks for gifts that will make his work easier, no toys. I thought about what I asked for for Christmas... baby stuff, a carpet cleaner, a hand vac and functional items like gift cards to Target so we can buy stuff we need for the house. Luckily my family knows to get me some things that are just for me (lotion, books, food dehydrator, etc) because I won't ask for them... I feel guilty asking for them.
The book I am reading by Jane Kirkpatrick is about a woman named Marie Dorion who came across the US in the Astor fur expedition after Lewis and Clark. She was the only woman in the group, and later she became famous by being one of the few who survived a winter in the mountains after her husband was brutally murdered by natives. She also saved her two children from starvation and the cold. She became a legend, written about in the book Astoria, and people came asking to meet her for years. She could never understand it, why they would want to meet her. She always just claimed she did what she had to for her children, to survive. She never saw her value either.
I'm not saying I've done anything so terrific as avoid starvation in a tundra, but it does make me think about how little I value myself when I won't spend money on something so necessary as clothing for myself (even before I became pregnant and needed them I still felt I couldn't do this). It isn't that I don't like to buy nice clothes or look good... I just can't see myself as worth the expense.
I'm working on this. The Lord sees all the stars in the sky and he calls them all by name... if He can remember all those, He remembers me. And I need to remember me too. I was created with value.
This is a hard lesson to learn, but I am going to try to spend more time and *gasp* money on taking care of me. I need to learn this before I lose myself completely in my children and my husband, whom I love dearly and wish to serve.
So, here I am, enjoying my last few days of being 25, and coming to realize that I, too, deserve new things once in awhile when needed. And occasionally even just plain desired. I need to take care of myself so I can take care of my family.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
New Year, New pics
Here are a few choice shots from our New Year's evening at Nathan and Lindy's!
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| From Winter 2009/2010 |
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| From Winter 2009/2010 |
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| From Winter 2009/2010 |
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| From Winter 2009/2010 |
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| From Winter 2009/2010 |
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| From Winter 2009/2010 |
Saturday, January 2, 2010
17 Weeks! Little Turnip!
I am 17 weeks today! Here is what is going on with little baby Grasso:
Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.
Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Welcome 2010!
It is now officially the year our first child will be born!! We are SO excited!
We spent New Years hanging out with our nephews and Nathan and Lindy. We played Mario on the Wii and Eliot and I lost terribly to the Nathan/Lindy team. Good times were had by all, including the boys who woke up late to welcome in the new year.
Nathan and Lindy were also gracious enough to pass on some of their stuff that the boys have grown out of, including a breathable crib bumper, a warm cover for the car seat, receiving blankets, and a rain forest crib soother. We are SO grateful that we don't have to purchase these things! Thanks guys!
As for me, I am feeling ok. I forgot my thyroid meds this morning and so I've felt groggy all day. I am having a lot of back pain and I am ALWAYS hungry. Today I have an intense craving for fettuccine alfredo, whereas two days ago I wanted corn dogs (which I made from scratch with turkey dogs and fried in olive oil to make them healthier). I am so hungry right now, in fact, I think I will go eat! :-)
We spent New Years hanging out with our nephews and Nathan and Lindy. We played Mario on the Wii and Eliot and I lost terribly to the Nathan/Lindy team. Good times were had by all, including the boys who woke up late to welcome in the new year.
Nathan and Lindy were also gracious enough to pass on some of their stuff that the boys have grown out of, including a breathable crib bumper, a warm cover for the car seat, receiving blankets, and a rain forest crib soother. We are SO grateful that we don't have to purchase these things! Thanks guys!
As for me, I am feeling ok. I forgot my thyroid meds this morning and so I've felt groggy all day. I am having a lot of back pain and I am ALWAYS hungry. Today I have an intense craving for fettuccine alfredo, whereas two days ago I wanted corn dogs (which I made from scratch with turkey dogs and fried in olive oil to make them healthier). I am so hungry right now, in fact, I think I will go eat! :-)
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