Is Baby Brain Real?

Whenever my friends would speak of "baby brain" I would always think to myself, "nice excuse blame it on the baby....puh leaze!"  

So it only serves me right that I seem to have gotten quite the dose of it during my pregnancy.

There have been simple things like forgetting my keys to my classroom 10+ times or trying to cook and burning things with no avail.  (aka the famous chili cookoff) or putting peanut butter in the refrigerator and ice cream in the cabinet...

Then there has been the issue of speech.  From the beginning I have felt like I could not form an intelligent sentence to save my life.  By the time I get home most days communication between Barry and I looks something like a pantomime playing charades.  

I also loved the time that I went to visit a friend in the hospital, a hospital I had visited a million times before.  I walked right in and headed to the wrong building, proceeded to get on the wrong elevator with a clearly marked sign and didn't realize it until it stopped on the 3rd floor and a janitor got on and asked if I was lost.....hmmmm

But wait upon arriving at the correct building I pushed the up button and waited 3 minutes for an elevator to open before noticing this sign......

Yes friends, I'm not making this up!

 Or how about the fact that on more than one occasion I have walked down my hall to see why I heard water running only to find the faucet I had used a good 5-10 minutes prior was still running full steam ahead..........

But, my all time favorite baby brain moment has to be me walking into work not understanding why my car was making a weird alarm sound.  (hmmmm this must be what happens when you lock the car standing so close to it)  Then 20 minutes later someone comes in from the parking lot where I can clearly hear the odd noise still ringing out...

So I go out to check and discover that cars sometimes sound an alarm when pregnant women get out of the car and try to lock it while leaving it in DRIVE instead of PARK!  Whew good thing that car was heavy and the parking lot flat.....

Yes babies make you crazy, and I just hope I regain all brain cells in time for his arrival. :)

Thoughtful Thursday

My profound thoughts for the week:

• There is such a thing as being too busy.
• To have had a moment with a great grandmother at all is a blessing, but I had the privelage of time with three of them in my life.  What a lucky gal I am.
• Even when death comes in the best package it has to offer (the peaceful passing of a 94 year old, holding her son and daughters hands) it's still sad.  I think this is because we are human and though we hopefully understand they are in a better place we humans think on the selfish thoughts, the "I will miss____", I never got to tell them ____" I'll never get to introduce them to _______"  I'll miss seeing them when _____".  
• The promise of forever is so amazing, it literally hurts my brain to think about heaven.
• Getting the news of Mamaw Scherer passing and "feeling life" (as my Granny calls it), was an overwhelming experience.  
• Breakfast in bed can fix a million problems.  :)

Stop stressin and Count your blessin'

 For several weeks I let myself get out of control stressed out.  Work was not just happening at school in my classroom, it was stalking me all the way home to my couch every night for hours.  

Add to that the fact that I teach BarreAmped classes too and don't get home till 7 or 8 on those nights.  Add the weekly natural birthing classes at BabyMoon and the "homework readings" that go with it.  

Oh and what's that you say doula?  You want me to practice relaxation and breathing techniques?  

Can you define relax and where I can find it?  

All multiplied by the fact that there was this little thing called being pregnant and preparing a space for a baby.....which is a lot of work when you have to figure out how to make a small space fit all their stuff.  

All of this meant that I was not focused on the things that matter, like the enjoyment of being pregnant in the first place.  Poor Barry saw me break more than once and lovingly listened to my snotty nosed tears as I blubbered about how "I can't do it all!"  

Then suddenly it hit me.  I shouldn't have to.  I'll get done what I can in a day but there are certain things I can't negotiate anymore:

1. time for God.

2. time to tell/show Barry I love him.

3. Enjoy this amazing blessing of being pregnant.  I will never get to experience this in the same way as I am now and I am making a vow to baby Henry and myself not to let another sweet moment of it pass me by without notice.  

So I'll take more time to dance in the living room with all of my boys from now on.  It's my favorite.  How many other times in my life can I dance with two boys at once without looking like a floosy?  eh?  :)  So turn up the Frank Sinatra and Charles Mingus please. 

Marcella Elizabeth

Was my namesake, and a sweet and special woman in many peoples lives.  Saturday morning we learned that she had gone to meet Jesus.  
It is always sad to lose someone you love, but having had the blessing of knowing and gathering years of memories with my great grandmother was a blessing not many experience.  She was a strong and vibrant woman from the moment she was born at under 3lbs.  She never stopped loving others and most especially the Lord.  She wore the beads out on her rosary every day.  
Her laugh, love, and sweet sense of humor will never be forgotten by our family.
I am at peace knowing she is in a perfect place, able to see without impairments, is talking with those she's missed for years and taking pain free walks with Jesus.  God bless this sweet woman in our hearts.

Happy Engageaversary!

Happy Engageaversary Baby!   

 I can't believe it's been 5 years since he put a ring on my finger.  I was beyond surprised, thrilled, and felt like I was in a fairy tale movie.  It started all in early September and five months later we were engaged.  :)   5 months beyond that married, and it couldn't have happened soon enough.  

With a blanket set out in the snow on the bleachers of Commonwealth where we met we ate KettleKorn and shivered happy as could be.  Little did I know that it was only going to get better.  

After I said yes!!!! Shrieked and screamed for joy we walked out into the parking lot to a "tailgating party"  made up of both of our parents who had just met for the first time.  

Then it was back to Barry's parents for a wonderful and joyous night of celebrating.  I remember waking up the next morning and realizing a ring was on my finger, feeling like I was a princess in a dream.  :) 

Wow we both look young!  :)

God created the perfect soul mate for me.  What a gift each day with him is. 

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Happy Birthday Mommy!  You are one loved lady

This woman can do anything she sets her mind too.  :)

Happy Lovey Dovey

Happy Valentine's Day B.  Your my favorite. 

Lot's of love in this little family......and growing.  :)  Thank you God.

Showered with Love

Our first baby shower was yesterday  and was hosted by three of my fabulous friends.  Alison, Elizabeth, and Lauren.  Barry's mom had flown up from Florida and my Mom and Katie came up from Somerset.  We met over at Ali's house welcomed by the smell of sweet goodies all hand made by the girls and adorable baby decor all done in fabulous taste!  Little white clouds hung from the ceiling and lights and sweet memorable pictures adorned the living room.  

The Hostesses

My gift from the girls.  I love it!

Sweet little activity, "Wishes for Baby Henry" for us to keep from everyone.  :)  How fun will this be to look at down the road? 

It was a completely perfect day.  It was so special to have such amazing girlfriends all around me showering little Henry with love.  He got some adorable and sweet things that I can not wait to use with him.  It really did make this journey just one more step closer to being real.  We are ten weeks away from his due date and at thirty weeks I am happily enjoying this pregnancy and all it's magic.  I had even more fun when I got home to Barry as we went back over everything and he was able to get excited about things too.  :) Oh such fun!  

Sweet Lins came all they way down from Cincy.

My teacher loves!

My baby sister and Mommy

My mommy and Barry's mommy  :)

The belly progression line.  :)

Love these girls

The proud papa looking at all the goodies. 

In little man's room. 

30 weeks and loving it!

Happy Birthday to the Ground

How Long Does Chili Cook?

Crockpot cooking usually = easy meal, no?

Well, that's what I always thought at least until Saturday. B and I were making a trip up to Cincy to visit a great friend of mine from college and her husband and enter their 2nd annual chili cookoff!  Sounds like fun right?  

So Friday B, doing the wonderful husband duty went to the grocery to pick up all the goods to make my Dad's fantastic chili recipe.  Saturday morning, I slept in a bit and by 9:00 was browning turkey burger for the big bad chili while B was helping me put the rest of the ingredients into the crockpot.  

Ah yes, the house was smelling lovely and I began to get excited for a bowl of this goodness later.  Until, Barry called me into the nursery for a minute to look at something, which turned into a serious conversation about curtains, "I mean this is important Barry, do we keep the paisley print or go with big bold stripes?"  (Oh this poor man!)  Conversation ends abruptly with no real conclusion because I suddenly remembered there was meat cooking on the stove.  

Yeah you guessed it......Burnt to a crisp.  

Tasty right?

So in a mad haste I whisk it off the stove throwing meat all over the wall and all around the trash can as I threw it away.  UGH!  

So sweet hubby goes back to the grocery for me for round # 2.  

Here is where I will spare you the details other than to say the most amazing thing happened.  Um, it got burnt a second time.  

What?  You say, how could you possibly.  Oh but it happened!  

So preggo here immediately bursts into tears and screams something about how we will just have tomato bean soup and it will be awful!  

So charming husband.........yeah you guessed it.  He went back to the store for more meat.  :)

So this chili, took us 3 hours to just get cooking + the 6 hrs it took to cook all day once we got it to Cincy.  Yes, we hauled this crockpot full of the most expensive, time consuming chili all the way up there only to come in 6th place.  (I blame the travel time and my lack of being able to tweak it throughout the day with extra spices.)  :)

We did have a great time, and had some mad delicious chili to boot!  It was great to see Lins and Clay and all their northern friends and fam.  We also made a quick trip up to Ikea for some fabulous organization tools for the nursery.  Score!!!

This poor guy!

The Chili cookoff hostess with the mostest!

Last year's winner presenting the new King of Chili with his trophy.  :)

So how long does it take you to cook chili?

Go Red For Women you Love!

Today I wear red for my Mamaw and my Granny.  Heart disease is the #1 killer among women.   It's so incredibly important for us to exercise and eat heart healthy to do as much preventing on our end as we can.  Go Red For Women today!  

Here are a few of my favorite ways I saw to sport some red.

 Men can do it too. :)

 Who doesn't want a red balloon?

 Ok, so this is a little much unless you belong to a boy band, or are British.  However, props to trying right?

 Every heart conscious person deserves a red apple. 

 Runway red.

 Not sure I could pull them off, but love these little red booties!  

Love this.