Early bird

On Saturday morning at 10:35am, my son, Charles Fletcher, decided that at 31 weeks and 5 days he was ready to arrive. He came into the world with a fantastic roar and then immediately became silent but the NICU team on hand quickly got him breathing again. He is currently in the NICU, doing great, and is expected to stay there around 5 weeks.

It has been a roller coaster of emotions the past four days, but God is good and we are learning to lean on him in new ways. Overall, we/re feeling very positive.

I hope to write more about the experience soon, but the days are a bit of a blur right now so that may not be for a while. In the meantime, my amazing husband will be posting daily updates here.

Prayer is so appreciated. Thank you, blog friends, I'll be back soon.

Summer weather is here!

It is GORGEOUS outside today!

I got some new sunglasses from Target with some of the birthday money I received earlier this month. I love that I can open all the windows in our apartment and get a warm breeze through our place.

31 weeks

Tomorrow is Friiidaaaay -- woohoo!!!

Pity party

I just dragged a chair from my office's living room to the other side of my desk so that I can prop my feet up while I'm at work. Yes that's right -- even though I sit at a desk all day long, my body aches by the time I leave for home at the end of the day. Sitting on my butt actually makes my body sore these days.

The physical effects of this pregnancy are really beginning to take a toll on my body, and I'm being told to "take it easy," "take naps" (HA!), and "prop my feet up and rest throughout the day" in order to take care of myself now that I'm in my 3rd trimester, but all that is a lot harder than it sounds with my current schedule.

I am fortunate to work at a pretty understanding place, they've been great about doctor appointments and such. However, I'm learning that I can't keep the pace that my pre/early-pregnancy self keeps, and that's personally frustrating.

Also, it dawned on me this morning that while I have a TON on my mind as I prepare to, you know, bring a life into the world -- for my work, this pregnancy is just another thing scheduled on the calendar.

I get the feeling that here in my office, the mentality is that nothing changes until June 4th when my maternity leave begins and a temp sits at my desk for the summer. Meanwhile, I'm undergoing huge physical/mental transformation (which is so much more than a growing belly) and I want to stand on my desk and scream: "The change is HERE people, it has begun!"

Please come soon, June 4th...

One of my bosses is a real work horse (which is normally fine, because I sort of am too), but I'm having to learn to speak up for myself when she pushes me too hard -- and that's tough for me!

For example, we had a meeting on a studio lot yesterday and we didn't exactly leave in time. She was taking the speed bumps in the parking garage a little harder than I would have liked, and I sort of joked "Hey easy, you want this kid to be born now?" (But seriously, come ON!) Then we were power walking across the lot to the appropriate building and I was doing my best to haul my bowling-ball-belly at the brisk pace she was setting and she kept shooting me looks that said "Are you coming?"

(I tried to give her a look back that said "I-can-feel-this-baby-sloshing-around-all-sorts-of-inner-parts-that-you-probably-don't-want-to-hear-about-and-right-now-I'm-going-as-fast-as-I-can," but I'm not sure that was properly translated.)

Anyway, that sort of thing is really hard for me. I'm not one to make excuses for myself, and it's difficult for me that my boss doesn't see me struggling and adjust a little. Like, leave 5-10 minutes earlier so that the speed bumps aren't mini launch pads for her prius. I don't need to be pampered or anything, I'd just like a little understanding for my current condition.

Clocking in from 9am-6pm has never been more difficult, and my "off" hours are not exactly "off."

I'm counting down the days until my maternity leave begins, and I'm trying to take things a day at a time so that I don't get completely overwhelmed with everything on my plate right now. Today I sort of feel like breaking down and crying.

Okay, pity party over. Sorry for the downer of a post, I try not to rant on this blog but now that I've vented I do feel a bit better. I promise to write a more upbeat post next time!

*****
Edit: Said boss just brought me a cushion to put on the chair that I'm propping me feet on so that I'd be more comfortable. That was really nice and thoughtful. See, I shouldn't have been so cranky earlier -- why is it that pity parties always seem to end with a heaping helping of humble pie for dessert?

Yummers

I fear that the dangerous combination of pregnancy + pinterest recipes is turning me into a major "foodie."

Since getting pregnant, I've definitely enjoyed food more than I ever have before. Like a lot of pregnant women, I think I'm more sensitive to smells and such -- but I didn't experience typical morning sickness, so instead of finding foods repellent, I find them all AMAZING.

Cooking is not in my nature. It's not something I grew up doing (my mom is a woman after my own heart: hates messes, and likes fast/easy meals). But for some reason, in the past couple of years since I've been married, I do find a certain joy in making a nice meal with good food.

Thankfully I have a husband who will usually eat whatever I feel like making (something my poor mother, in her defense, does not have -- my father is one of the pickiest eaters on the planet), and Greg likes to cook from time to time as well. One of my favorite dates with Greg was at a cooking class, and whenever we cook together in our own kitchen it feels a bit date-like to me.

Below is a recipe for Jalapeno Creamed Corn that I found on pinterest and made for an Easter potluck this year. (At which, the host of the potluck asked if I would make it again at Thanksgiving!)

I wanted to share this because it was super easy to make, and it was an especially great potluck dish because it makes so much. In fact there's still some in my fridge right now. (Which reminds me, I should probably toss that out by now... hmmm)

Photo and recipe

Jalapeno Creamed Corn

1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter, room temperature
8 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese
3 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced (or more if you like some heat!). The 3 seeded jalapenos creates zip, NOT heat...kids even eat this and ask for more!
3 cans (11 ounces each) of white shoepeg corn, drained

Mix all ingredients together in a 13x9 pan. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Stir again before serving. Enjoy!!

Wonderful weekend

This weekend was absolutely lovely. My birthday was on Thursday and I actually got off work a bit early so Greg took me to dinner at the brewery down the street where he got a beer (I had a sip!) and I got a house-brewed rootbeer. Mmmmm... I'll tell you what, this pregnancy has made me re-discover my love of rootbeer.

On Friday, my office was closed for Good Friday, and Greg took me all over town shopping for a rocking chair or glider for my birthday. Isn't he a good gift-giver? I remember the big brown chair that my mom rocked my brother and me in when we were little, and having a chair to rock my baby to sleep in has been a little dream of mine since we started rearranging our apartment to make room for this little guy. I think we found a good glider at Target, but we're going to look around a bit on Craigs List as well.

Easter Sunday was filled with church and fellowship at a potluck that was complete with great food and great friends. It was really interesting to play Running Charades at 7 months preggers, but I couldn't help myself! I did sit out during the last couple of rounds when popping up out of my chair started to take it's toll, but I was proud of myself for hanging in as long as I did.

This morning started off with a screw in my front tire:

Look at the size of that thing!

It's never a good time to get a flat tire, but all things considered, it really was almost a blessing in disguise. As you can see, the tread on my tire was pretty worn anyway so if I had to pick up a screw this was probably good timing.

Plus, Greg was off work this morning, so he was able to keep me company while we waited for roadside assist to show up. He walked over to starbucks and got me a decaf vanilla latte (because that boy knows how to love me) and then he dropped me at work and took the car to the shop once it was confirmed that we did indeed need a new tire rather than a patch.

In spite of the mini auto adventure that kicked off my morning, I'm having a great day. Beautiful weather, 30 weeks of baby in my belly, enough money in the bank not to stress the cost of a new tire, and a night off with my darling to look forward to. I am truly blessed.

30 weeks

(Note the starbucks I'm clutching - ha!)

Night Light

“You look tired.” <-- I’ve been getting this a lot, and I’m trying not to let it get to me.

I mean, I’m growing a human being inside my abdomen for crying out loud! It’s slow going, but it still takes a lot of energy and as my body gets bigger (aka, more uncomfortable) I’m finding that insomnia tends to be my companion in the wee hours of the morning. Apparently this is a common side effect of pregnancy, but I hope this phase passes soon because insomnia is pretty miserable.

Last night a little after 1am, I got up to pee and couldn’t wiggle myself comfortable once I returned to bed no matter how many times I flipped over. The covers were a tangle of sheets and heavy blankets that felt like dead weight on top of me, and I couldn’t find the “cool side” of my pillow so my hair just felt like a hot, sweaty tendrils that stuck to my cheeks whenever I rolled over. My mind began racing with to-do lists and anxiety, and my thoughts were as boring and dull as the long hours that I knew were ahead of me.

Usually when I can’t sleep I just lay there in bed until slumber eventually comes to my rescue because I figure that I’m still resting -- and that’s good, right? But last night I got up and went to the living room to read until my eyelids got heavy enough to attempt sleep again.

Looking for some relief from the silly worries that have been crowding my mind lately, I read the book of Ephesians. The words were a balm to my weary spirit. Paul wrote this letter to the believers in Ephesus while he was in prison, and I knew that if anything, I’d find some heavenly perspective as I read his words of encouragement knowing that he was chained in a cell for sharing his faith when he wrote them.

After about an hour, I went back to bed. I had no answers to the questions racing through my head, but I had peace enough to sleep again.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever. Amen!  (Eph 3:20-21)

April Showers

This weekend the ladies in my theater company threw me a baby shower!

It was so nice, so lovely. I feel very loved and humbled that so many incredible women were not only willing to give up a Sunday afternoon to celebrate this little life growing inside of me, but they seemed excited to be there as well.

These four beauties were the hostesses of the party (in addition to Liz, who's in the next photo)

Liz & I (and my bump!)

These ladies really out did themselves. They made a spread of delicious foods, and they decorated with balloons, banners and tiny clothelines of onesies that I got to keep at the end of the party.

They also played fun games that were low key. For example, everyone was given 3 clothespins upon arrival and the goal was to collect as many clothespins as possible throughout the shower by stealing a clothespin off someone else if they got caught saying the word "baby." It was pretty hilarious by the end! (It's hard not to say "baby" at a shower!)

Here's the food table, notice the gorgeous "cake" in the center? It's actually made out of cloth diapers! Rhonda actually MADE this thing, and then decorated it with baby spoons, tiny baby products like powder, and a precious little stuffed animal on the tip top.

I got spoiled rotten by sweet thoughtful gifts for the baby as well. I still can't get over how small everything is! (Well, everything that is except this giant teddy bear that Becky gave me!)

Prayers

 I confess that there were several moments throughout the shower that I got a little choked up. It's overwhelming for me to be the center of attention at something like a shower, and everyone was being SO nice to me, I was really touched.

However, the most special moment happened completely organically when someone suggested that everyone pray for me. These wonderful, amazing women that I can't believe I get to be friends with circled around me and prayed for me, for Greg, and for our baby. It was so incredibly powerful. (Um, yeah... I lost it!)

My Actors Co-op ladies

(PS - everyone pinned their clothespins on me after the game was over, hence my colorful neckline!)

The five hostesses and me

Someone asked me the other day if Greg and I had any family out here in California, and I was actually speechless for a second as I pondered how to respond. We have no blood relatives out here, but we have been blessed by an abundance of people that we pretty much claim as family.

I feel like a lot of my blog posts have been super mushy lately, but what can I say, I'm pregnant. Pregnant and grateful!

We are so blessed to have our California family supporting us as we welcome this baby into the world in a few months.