and it pays about 3 times more than I've ever made in my life. Plus, right now I only have one student, an assistant and a special ed teacher in the room to help move things along. Yep, I'm getting paid to basically socialize a "troubled teen" and get him back on his merry little way. I get to model and teach restaurant etiquette and then we get to take a field trip to O'Charleys as a test ~ it's all about the hands on learning here people! Seriously, it's for real. AND, I don't even have to worry about the half days that I'll miss due to dr. appointments... cuz they're cool like that. AND I can even wear flip flops to work, no kiddin'.
Ok, now I must finish a paper on counseling couples dealing with infertility. It only has to be five pages... under normal circumstances I could probably spill out about 50, but I'm so tired and consumed w/ this whole "job" thing that it's taking me longer to get the paper done. Once that's finished (by tonight) I have 3 more papers to do by Friday night (including watching three 3 hour classes, not so much fun) and I'll be finished w/ another graduate class. Woo~hoo!!!
We're going shopping this weekend for the last of the Hadlee things (until she gets here, anyway). Target makes me happy and getting things for our daughter just makes me down right ecstatic!!!
26 more days.
Thank you all SOOOOO MUCH for the advice about the baby stuff. I felt much better after reading it ~ and I have a list which always calms my nerves. Ya'll are great ~ blugs! :)
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Monday, July 25, 2005
Questions, questions, questions...
Hi, this is Mae Anne in semi-panic mode. The following are things that I have no idea about and I'm asking you b/c my sister isn't answering her phone... when I feel the need to know something I need the info immediately or I get all stressed out and the end result is a tension headache ~ one of which I can now feel coming on starting in my upper shoulder blades. Not fun. Please inform the uninformed ASAP...
1. How many bottles do we need? I mean we have 6 and if I end up successfully breast feeding it will make a difference in the # needed, right? At the moment, I need worse case scenario figures, please.
2. What do I need to take to the hospital for Hadlee? If we'll be there for 2 days do I need three outfits for her (day 1, day 2 and a coming home outfit)? Should I just take gowns and matching blankets? What about diapers and wipes and various things of that nature?
3. How many pacifiers are needed? We have 3. I figured we should at least have 7 ~ one for every day... but that's just my harebrained idea.
4. When do we need to get the high chair? Obviously she isn't going to need it the first few weeks, but roughly at what age is a baby big enough to sit in the thing?
5. Is a play yard really a necessary item? (And what's w/ not calling them play pens anymore, did someone end up in jail b/c he or she was in one as a baby?) We have a bassinet (sp?) and her crib ~ is the play yard needed too?
6. How many sheets do I need for the crib and bassinet? I have 2 bassinet sheets and one for the crib.
7. Is it better to have a bouncy seat or a swing? One is obviously larger and bulkier than the other, but what I need is what gets the job done... enough time for a shower where all of the shampoo and conditioner are rinsed out and I get to dry off and put on clean clothes.
8. What about burp cloths? I think we have around 10, but that doesn't sound like nearly enough. Don't babies spew after or during every feeding?
9. How do I give her a bath if I can't bathe her until her belly button falls off and when does that happen?
10. Am I an unfit mother if I do something wrong, don't have enough burp cloths, mis-match her outfit and blanket, or run our of clean bottles?????!??!?!!!
AAARRRGGGHH. Stressing over all of this and more at the moment. Answer if you can. Laugh if you must, but please tell me that it will all be ok.
29 days and counting vigorously.
1. How many bottles do we need? I mean we have 6 and if I end up successfully breast feeding it will make a difference in the # needed, right? At the moment, I need worse case scenario figures, please.
2. What do I need to take to the hospital for Hadlee? If we'll be there for 2 days do I need three outfits for her (day 1, day 2 and a coming home outfit)? Should I just take gowns and matching blankets? What about diapers and wipes and various things of that nature?
3. How many pacifiers are needed? We have 3. I figured we should at least have 7 ~ one for every day... but that's just my harebrained idea.
4. When do we need to get the high chair? Obviously she isn't going to need it the first few weeks, but roughly at what age is a baby big enough to sit in the thing?
5. Is a play yard really a necessary item? (And what's w/ not calling them play pens anymore, did someone end up in jail b/c he or she was in one as a baby?) We have a bassinet (sp?) and her crib ~ is the play yard needed too?
6. How many sheets do I need for the crib and bassinet? I have 2 bassinet sheets and one for the crib.
7. Is it better to have a bouncy seat or a swing? One is obviously larger and bulkier than the other, but what I need is what gets the job done... enough time for a shower where all of the shampoo and conditioner are rinsed out and I get to dry off and put on clean clothes.
8. What about burp cloths? I think we have around 10, but that doesn't sound like nearly enough. Don't babies spew after or during every feeding?
9. How do I give her a bath if I can't bathe her until her belly button falls off and when does that happen?
10. Am I an unfit mother if I do something wrong, don't have enough burp cloths, mis-match her outfit and blanket, or run our of clean bottles?????!??!?!!!
AAARRRGGGHH. Stressing over all of this and more at the moment. Answer if you can. Laugh if you must, but please tell me that it will all be ok.
29 days and counting vigorously.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Seeking Mommy Advice
I came home from church this afternoon w/ roughly three loads of laundry to do for Hadlee! The last and largest shower was held by the church ladies (not to be confused w/ the Chruch Lady from SNL) and the smocked dresses and cutsie little things are just delicious. I do, however, need your advice on the blanket deal. How many blankets (receiving, fleece, thermal, afghans, etc.) does one child really need? I'm not asking this in a sarcastic manner, but I REALLY would like to have a ball park figure. I haven't counted exactly the number we have, but I'm quite sure that it's over 10 and less than 20. Other than having lots of warmth and providing great fort and tent building materials, are they really that vital to a baby's existence?
Also (Men, I do here by apologized if you read the following paragraph ~ feel free to skip to the end of this post from this point), I asked my doctor about nursing things and she recommended a certain brand of pump, but not bottles or various assunderies (I don't know if assunderies is really the correct word to use here, but I felt like using it. I mean, how often do you get to use the word "assunderies"?). If you have recently breast fed and used a pump (cuz, they kind of go hand in hand, correct?) would you kindly give a thumbs up for the brand? Did you rent it from the hospital or shell out the $319 for it at Motherhood Maternity?
Ok, I think that's about it for the questions for tonight. I'm sure that many more will pop into my head, probably about bathroom break #3 at roughly 4:37a.m. I'll update things then...
Happy (Manic) Monday
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Monday, July 18, 2005
Dis and Anti
Yesterday, for the first time in my life, the elders at church made a public announcement that someone was being disfellowshipped from our assembly. In reality, she did this herself (left her husband and family and made a new one in a different place w/ no communication or replies to the concern, inquiries and prayers from the elders) and the church just kind of followed suit. It was sad and shocking and done w/ love (I know that sounds odd, but it really was) all at the same time.
I'm not sure that this would have taken place before our gospel meeting in June. The man who was brought in for the meeting does the International Gospel Hour ~ I can't remember his name for the life of me (googled it, he's Winford Claiborne). Anyway, one of the parts of his discipline subject was on when a person should be disfellowshipped publicly. At the time I thought, "This is going to stir the pot a good bit." And it did, but it was in discussions and questions, not "Lets go get so-and-so, put a red A on their chest and let the entire world know that we follow the Good Book's rules on telling people where they went wrong and turning away from those who have turned from God." (Obviously, there are some who would do that and think it's the right thing to do, but that wasn't what happened, Thank God!)
It's sad that things like this happen. I'm so glad that I am not in a elder's position and have to make decisions like these. When the announcement was made, the congregation was asked to pray for the family affected and to especially pray for the wife and to tell her, if she was seen, that she is loved and wanted and prayed for.
Now for the "anti" deal. I have a friend who has an interest who is an anti (a.k.a. non-institutional). Now, I hadn't ever heard of the anti movement until a couple of years ago and what I understood of it was "Oh, yeah, they don't have kitchens or social functions at the church building." (Brandon and I visited one such congregation where two Amish men had just been baptized and in turn disfellowshipped from their families ~ it was an interesting experience to say the least.) Ok, what-ever floats their boat, at least they aren't doing the one cup deal! No biggy, just a different perspective. My friend, however, had heard other things that were much more negative from a person who has a very poor attitude about everything that goes against what he feels is right. Naturally, she was a bit hesitant about diving more into the "interest" b/c of the negative spin on all of this. She called me for advice about all of this and we googled the anti deal and were both quite surprised at how NOT hell, fire, damnation it all sounded.
So much religious stuff going on in my head. So many brain cells being asked to function. Odd I guess. Tell me your insights to these matters if you wish. I hope that what I wrote doesn't sound negative or legalistic or anti anti, but just my view of such matters from my own perspective. Does that make sense?
I'm going to take a break and then hit the books some more. Only one more month of classes and then I'm taking off until January. I am looking VERY forward to that break time and to spending lots of time w/ our daughter... just 36 more days! :)
I've got a pretty busy week ahead. Visiting friends on Short Mountain, in Lawrenceburg, a doc's visit in Spring Hill and a couple of days in Huntsville; plus 3 classes, a paper, a pedicure and a baby shower. What are the chances of those classes and paper getting done?!?!???!!
I'm not sure that this would have taken place before our gospel meeting in June. The man who was brought in for the meeting does the International Gospel Hour ~ I can't remember his name for the life of me (googled it, he's Winford Claiborne). Anyway, one of the parts of his discipline subject was on when a person should be disfellowshipped publicly. At the time I thought, "This is going to stir the pot a good bit." And it did, but it was in discussions and questions, not "Lets go get so-and-so, put a red A on their chest and let the entire world know that we follow the Good Book's rules on telling people where they went wrong and turning away from those who have turned from God." (Obviously, there are some who would do that and think it's the right thing to do, but that wasn't what happened, Thank God!)
It's sad that things like this happen. I'm so glad that I am not in a elder's position and have to make decisions like these. When the announcement was made, the congregation was asked to pray for the family affected and to especially pray for the wife and to tell her, if she was seen, that she is loved and wanted and prayed for.
Now for the "anti" deal. I have a friend who has an interest who is an anti (a.k.a. non-institutional). Now, I hadn't ever heard of the anti movement until a couple of years ago and what I understood of it was "Oh, yeah, they don't have kitchens or social functions at the church building." (Brandon and I visited one such congregation where two Amish men had just been baptized and in turn disfellowshipped from their families ~ it was an interesting experience to say the least.) Ok, what-ever floats their boat, at least they aren't doing the one cup deal! No biggy, just a different perspective. My friend, however, had heard other things that were much more negative from a person who has a very poor attitude about everything that goes against what he feels is right. Naturally, she was a bit hesitant about diving more into the "interest" b/c of the negative spin on all of this. She called me for advice about all of this and we googled the anti deal and were both quite surprised at how NOT hell, fire, damnation it all sounded.
So much religious stuff going on in my head. So many brain cells being asked to function. Odd I guess. Tell me your insights to these matters if you wish. I hope that what I wrote doesn't sound negative or legalistic or anti anti, but just my view of such matters from my own perspective. Does that make sense?
I'm going to take a break and then hit the books some more. Only one more month of classes and then I'm taking off until January. I am looking VERY forward to that break time and to spending lots of time w/ our daughter... just 36 more days! :)
I've got a pretty busy week ahead. Visiting friends on Short Mountain, in Lawrenceburg, a doc's visit in Spring Hill and a couple of days in Huntsville; plus 3 classes, a paper, a pedicure and a baby shower. What are the chances of those classes and paper getting done?!?!???!!
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
VBS ~ yes!
Nothing like singing "Three Wondering Jews" and "Booster, Booster be a Booster" to really take a gal back to the good ol' days. Plus, tonight was homemade ice cream and cobbler night ~ MMmmmm, mmmmm good! :)
Tomorrow begins the weekly trips to see Dr. Bullard. Not exciting to step on that scale at all ~ in fact, it's just down right mean of them to make me get on the thing.
B grilled the squash tonight, but I'd already had the afore mentioned ice cream and cobbler, so I'll take his word that it was good. Thank you for the recipes!
Tomorrow I am also going to turn in another teaching application (this time for the city schools, not the county). One of my friends called today and said that they wanted me to come for an interview. This is a 7 th grade position ~ reading and history I think. My personal opinion is "Whatever will be, will be." I'm a great teacher, rather compassionate and very NOT mainstream, but ya know, I'm just ready to not be pregnant any more. That's my passion for the time being. :)
Must head off to try to get at least an hour and a half of sleep at a time between all of those potty breaks and 10 minute roll over sessions (and I'm not talking cell phone minutes here people!). Nighty, night.
Tomorrow begins the weekly trips to see Dr. Bullard. Not exciting to step on that scale at all ~ in fact, it's just down right mean of them to make me get on the thing.
B grilled the squash tonight, but I'd already had the afore mentioned ice cream and cobbler, so I'll take his word that it was good. Thank you for the recipes!
Tomorrow I am also going to turn in another teaching application (this time for the city schools, not the county). One of my friends called today and said that they wanted me to come for an interview. This is a 7 th grade position ~ reading and history I think. My personal opinion is "Whatever will be, will be." I'm a great teacher, rather compassionate and very NOT mainstream, but ya know, I'm just ready to not be pregnant any more. That's my passion for the time being. :)
Must head off to try to get at least an hour and a half of sleep at a time between all of those potty breaks and 10 minute roll over sessions (and I'm not talking cell phone minutes here people!). Nighty, night.
Monday, July 11, 2005
Sunday, July 10, 2005
I need your cookbooks!!!
Here's the major malfunction...
We have wonderful neighbors who have a wonderful garden and they are great at sharing it's fabulous produce. Today's produce is squash. I love squash, but all I know to do w/ it is fry it. B asked if I could make a casserole BUT I can't find a squash casserole recipe to save my life!!! Help if you can, please! :)
Thanks a bajillion ~ Mae.
P.S. 44 days and counting.
We have wonderful neighbors who have a wonderful garden and they are great at sharing it's fabulous produce. Today's produce is squash. I love squash, but all I know to do w/ it is fry it. B asked if I could make a casserole BUT I can't find a squash casserole recipe to save my life!!! Help if you can, please! :)
Thanks a bajillion ~ Mae.
P.S. 44 days and counting.
Friday, July 08, 2005
What I like...
White Karo syrup on my french toast.
PB and Grape J w/ Nacho Cheese Doritos on White Bread (Don't knock it till ya try it!).
Having a clean house.
Going into Hadlee's room and touching everything.
Sitting in the garage talking to B while he works on random things such as the 4 wheeler winch.
Ironing.
Diet Sun~drop.
My husband's cooking... anything, esp. if it's grilled.
Living w/in 20 minutes of almost every family member.
Seeing most all of the family members on a regular basis.
Feeling HAH move around in my tummy and watching it look all lopsided and alien-ish.
Counting down the days until she's here and I can hold her, squeeze her, and call her mine!
Laughing at my husband.
Laughing in general.
AC ~ thank you Lord!
Getting gifts for HAH in the mail, or at a shower, or b/c something is one sale that she couldn't possibly do w/out.
Not working outside of the home.
Having a dog who guards nothing but her food and toys.
Nieces and a nephew.
HGTV.
Looking at house plans and thinking about what we'd like to have in our next home.
Life.
Blessings.
Love.
Smiles.
Compliments.
Blogging.
Now, how 'bout you?
PB and Grape J w/ Nacho Cheese Doritos on White Bread (Don't knock it till ya try it!).
Having a clean house.
Going into Hadlee's room and touching everything.
Sitting in the garage talking to B while he works on random things such as the 4 wheeler winch.
Ironing.
Diet Sun~drop.
My husband's cooking... anything, esp. if it's grilled.
Living w/in 20 minutes of almost every family member.
Seeing most all of the family members on a regular basis.
Feeling HAH move around in my tummy and watching it look all lopsided and alien-ish.
Counting down the days until she's here and I can hold her, squeeze her, and call her mine!
Laughing at my husband.
Laughing in general.
AC ~ thank you Lord!
Getting gifts for HAH in the mail, or at a shower, or b/c something is one sale that she couldn't possibly do w/out.
Not working outside of the home.
Having a dog who guards nothing but her food and toys.
Nieces and a nephew.
HGTV.
Looking at house plans and thinking about what we'd like to have in our next home.
Life.
Blessings.
Love.
Smiles.
Compliments.
Blogging.
Now, how 'bout you?
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
49 Days & Counting...
Seven weeks from today is Hadlee's due date. Last week at my doc's appointment I asked if there was a chance of my due date being moved up since she's measuring on the large side. Nope, apparently if the date is getting moved, it will be further away in order for her lungs to have more time to develop... my balloon of hope was quickly deflated! After next week's appointment I'll be in the office every week until Little Bit gets here ~ frightening and exciting all at the same time!!!
Brandon and I went to Mass on Sunday to celebrate the Christening of his cousin, Johanna. It was my first Catholic experience and I must say it was very interesting and confusing (not to mention the work out from sitting, standing and kneeling so much!) all at once. I was very engrossed in what was happening, the replies of the congregation back to the priest, the children running around, the lack of dress on many women, the absence of Bibles of any sort, the repetitiveness of having the same service each week for a year... basically the whole kit and kaboodle. I was going to participate in communion if B's family did (which they didn't) UNTIL this one particular moment... a lady, probably in her mid 50's sitting two rows ahead of us stuck her thumb up her nose, examined it's contents and then decided they were worthy of ingestion. She did this not once, but TWICE!!! Oh, holy Mary mother of Jesus these people drink after each other!!!!!!!!!!! Buick maguick!!! There was no way on the face of this green earth that I was going to drink from the same cup that she did (and really, what's the point of wiping the rim when it's just spreading germs around more than once?!) . I almost had a come-apart at that time ~ it was BAD! I was trying to figure out a way of avoiding the cup part (and at the same time was incredibly appreciative that we don't do the whole one cup deal!) when my mom-in-law said, "It's ok for us to just sit and observe at this point." Thank you Lord!
That was what really stuck w/ me from my first Mass experience. Johanna was Christened in the fountain ~ not sprinkled, but immersed butt naked up to her neck into a fountain that people then put their hands into and touched to their faces ~ hello babies pee in there! It was really neat, but bogger lady ruined a good bit of it... not to mention my anal-retentive-germ-o-phoebe-ness kicking into high gear. If I'd had my anti-bac wipes with me I'd've been handing them out right behind the alter boys! :)
Yesterday we had a wonderful Fourth celebration which included a cook out at my sister's house w/ all the siblings, nieces, nephew and friends, lots of fireworks, a few burnt hands and my husband catching on fire (just a small one though ~ it left a dime sized hole in his $4 Old Navy flag tee). All in a day's work...
Now I'm working on more school stuff and trying to actually get caught up. Last week I just thought about getting there, this week I'm actually doing it ~ shocking I'm sure...
Brandon and I went to Mass on Sunday to celebrate the Christening of his cousin, Johanna. It was my first Catholic experience and I must say it was very interesting and confusing (not to mention the work out from sitting, standing and kneeling so much!) all at once. I was very engrossed in what was happening, the replies of the congregation back to the priest, the children running around, the lack of dress on many women, the absence of Bibles of any sort, the repetitiveness of having the same service each week for a year... basically the whole kit and kaboodle. I was going to participate in communion if B's family did (which they didn't) UNTIL this one particular moment... a lady, probably in her mid 50's sitting two rows ahead of us stuck her thumb up her nose, examined it's contents and then decided they were worthy of ingestion. She did this not once, but TWICE!!! Oh, holy Mary mother of Jesus these people drink after each other!!!!!!!!!!! Buick maguick!!! There was no way on the face of this green earth that I was going to drink from the same cup that she did (and really, what's the point of wiping the rim when it's just spreading germs around more than once?!) . I almost had a come-apart at that time ~ it was BAD! I was trying to figure out a way of avoiding the cup part (and at the same time was incredibly appreciative that we don't do the whole one cup deal!) when my mom-in-law said, "It's ok for us to just sit and observe at this point." Thank you Lord!
That was what really stuck w/ me from my first Mass experience. Johanna was Christened in the fountain ~ not sprinkled, but immersed butt naked up to her neck into a fountain that people then put their hands into and touched to their faces ~ hello babies pee in there! It was really neat, but bogger lady ruined a good bit of it... not to mention my anal-retentive-germ-o-phoebe-ness kicking into high gear. If I'd had my anti-bac wipes with me I'd've been handing them out right behind the alter boys! :)
Yesterday we had a wonderful Fourth celebration which included a cook out at my sister's house w/ all the siblings, nieces, nephew and friends, lots of fireworks, a few burnt hands and my husband catching on fire (just a small one though ~ it left a dime sized hole in his $4 Old Navy flag tee). All in a day's work...
Now I'm working on more school stuff and trying to actually get caught up. Last week I just thought about getting there, this week I'm actually doing it ~ shocking I'm sure...
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