Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Catching Up - Weeks 20-23

Well, hello there, internet. Miss me, much?

Yes... I know that Tweet and I have been conspicuously absent from "the series of tubes" that connects us to each other. But, I have two great excuses.

#1 - I am lazy.
#2 - There is no #2.

So, now that we've got that settled.... let's get to the nitty gritty. I guess that instead of trying to catch up on three weeks worth of events, I'll just go ahead and tell you how this last month has been.

At the beginning of the month, we found out that our little Tweet is going to cause HER daddy heartburn when she's older. Which is really only fair, since she's been causing me heartburn for the last 6 months. And acid reflux.

ACID. REFLUX.

DO YOU PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT ACID REFLUX? Honestly, this may just be the worst thing IN THE WORLD. The week after our ultrasound, I started feeling nauseous again and called to ask my doc if I could still take the meds she gave me in the first trimester. Sight unseen, she told me I should just go grab some Zantac, and if I don't feel better within a day, to come in.

Well... obviously, this woman doesn't know me well enough. Because while I will battle a common cold every now and then, I'm more of an "exotic" disease person... you know, like whooping cough? Maybe a little scarlet fever thrown in for color?

So acid reflux? Please. I LAUGH IN THE FACE OF ACID REFLUX. My symptoms are so. much. worse. than acid reflux could ever be. Besides, I may have been known to pass judgment on people who have acid reflux. True story. Like, seriously... who vomits for no reason?

Apparently, I DO. Because after one day on my new miracle drug (and current leading candidate for my new best friend), I no longer wanted to die. And I started to think that Benny's voice might not make me want to tear my ears off and throw them at him. The sun started shining again and I decided that perhaps I could get out of bed and shower. Maybe shave my armpits, comb my hair and stop kicking the dog? It could be a banner day, if we're not careful.

The miracle of Zantac happened just in time for Benny and I to take a trip to San Diego for the annual Running of the Kohls. Also known as the Kohl Family Reunion. I prefer the Running of the Kohls, though... because it's AWESOME.

On the way to the airport, I mentioned to Benny that my hands felt a little swollen. Like maybe I'd run a marathon with my arms down the whole way. I even went so far as to hold them up in front of my face, like I had just scrubbed in for surgery. When I mentioned this to my family, one of the veteran mama's in the group asked if my rings still fit.

Well... of course they do! I'm sure the sensation of the swelling was purely that... SENSATION. Nothing to worry about. Here... I'll show you.

And this is when I broke down and cried because the ring barely came off my finger... and that was only after liberally applying sunblock lotion to my hands to encourage the process. It still hasn't been back on because I'm afraid that the skin will grow around it, eventually processing the metal as part of my body and then not only will I have fat hands and ankles, but now I don't have a wedding ring at all.

Holy. Crap. I'm. HUGE.

So... yea. At 6 months, I not only have grown out of all but one pair of shoes, my rings no longer fit. And here I am in Utah of all places... six months pregnant, no wedding band.... tsk, tsk, TSK. I can feel the disapproving glare of the woman at the McDonald's drive thru... but really her only job is to make my small ice cream cone big, but still at the cost of a small... so she can glare all she wants. She knows I could take her if necessary. Has she SEEN my ankles? They don't make them that big without a reason, ya know.

*Ahem*

While we were in San Diego with the fam, I made sure to slather on the sunblock and wear a hat (aka: Shade Machine) so that I didn't end up with pregnancy induced sun spots. I was doing really well with my plan of keeping my face out of the sun... until I fell asleep on the beach with my hat over my face. Forty-five minutes later... I awoke with a snort (cuz that's my style in front of Benny's family) and a waffle patterned suntan on my face. So, I earned a giant FAIL that day. I think I evened it out enough the following day to not be too noticable to anyone but myself, though.

And really... that nap was So. Worth. It. Partly because it signified that I'd finally made the mental switch from real life to vacation... where naps on the beach are not a privledge, but a right... but mostly because I knew it was the last time I'd be able to nap on the beach in a long, long, LONG time.

Benny was also able to savor his last pre-fatherhood nap on the beach. Although... for some reason, his nap looked more like a pass-out-where-you-are-standing. But, maybe that's just me. All I know is he didn't end up with a waffle-pattern suntan on his face. So, maybe that's how I roll next year.


San Diego was just so much fun. I couldn't have asked for a better vacation. The sun was shining for the most part, the only sunburn I dealt with was a section on both of my thighs that somehow managed to avoid even a drop of sunblock... don't ask me how, we spent quality time with family and the Tweet got her very first dunk in the ocean. Benny and I spent some time catching waves (Benny) and bouncing up and down in the water like a floating blimp (that would be me). We saw a pod of dolphins feeding just off shore, and the little Bird Nerd in me was quick to pull out my bird bible and check off all the different birds we saw... which included an osprey (AN OSPREY!) and a black skimmer.

This means nothing to all of you, but trust me on this.... HUGE FINDS.

A few pics from the week in Sunny Diego.

Helen was a big fan of the belly.

The Shade Machines in action.

We had a similar picture taken of us at this same spot 10 years ago...
I may have put on a little bit of baby weight since then.


Check out that form! Superman's still got it!

Remember when no one believed me about the cat with thumbs?
EXHIBIT A.

Ironically, Rusty's not as good a fisherman as you would expect with those things.


Avery and me. Is she not just the cutest little niece EVER?

Catching some zzzz's on the beach.

Hey... who's that little pasty dude in the group?

Helen and the boys digging a hole.

Whoever can pick out Benny in this pic wins a dinner with Rusty.
Don't worry. He'll hitchhike his way to
your house AND your heart.


We miss San Diego... but it's nice to be home in our own bed. Packing for the trip out there was kinda tough... because I knew that the body pillow must make the cut, or someone was going to end up bloody by the end of the week. So, I skimped a bit on the amount of clothes I brought and stuffed the 6-foot pillow into my suitcase. Verdict? TOTALLY. WORTH IT.

However, that first night the pillow did absolutely nothing to quell the pain from where Tweet was busy tatooing her name on my liver. With her elbows. Only, she spells it: Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeettttttt!!!! And then I want to die. She and I are going to have a serious talk about her behavior en utero when she's old enough to understand that although we joke about it from time to time... the liver is NOT evil and SHOULD NOT be destroyed, mkay?

Symptoms
- It's possible that a couple of times this month I had some emotional outbursts. Whether it was a commercial for the ASPCA showing those sad, sad faces of kittens and puppies who JUST WANT A HOME, or the fact that I lost my mind while searching for an ice pack the other day, and frozen bacon, frozen fruit and popsicles be DAMNED. It's possible that I cried during the commercial, and then started throwing things while looking for the ice pack. No one was hurt, luckily. But Benny did slink out of the kitchen rather quietly after that.

- Besides the pain in the liver, I've developed a huge knot on the left side of my middle back. It's about the size of a softball and the massage therapist spent 45 minutes of my hour session last week trying to work it loose. That was no fun at all. It's possible that we may have entered the uncomfortable part of the pregnancy. Or, as I like to call it: The Ninth Realm of Hell.

- The kidneys are working double-time and I usually get about 45 minutes of sleep each night before I have to go pee again. THIS IS FUN. Really. The only thing that makes it better is that Benny has started to have sympathy pees in the middle of the night, so he has to get up and pee, as well. Which actually works against me because as soon as I hear him stirring to get up, my bladder goes into Code Red.

- While I keep feeling Tweet kick throughout the day, what's been really cool is to be able to feel her position through touch. This morning, Benny's pretty sure he found a knee. Which is entirely possible because later today, she was kicking my liver and throwing bowling balls at my round ligament. I told Benny that if he REALLY wanted to feel a part of this pregnancy, he needed to let someone kick him in the groin, while simultaneously stabbing him in the liver. He said that was rude. And I was all: I KNOW!!!!!!!!!!


Complaints
- It is really, really, REALLY hot in the house right now. Lucky for me, Benny has had enough of the complaining and the nagging, and is going to start the swamp cooler for me tonight! Woo-hoo!

- I'm having trouble maneuvering bathroom stalls now. It's not just a simple in and out with the belly leading the way. This is something I never considered being a problem. Newsflash: IT IS.

Cravings
- I think my cravings are leaning to the salty side right now... perhaps explains the swollen fingers and toes, right?

- WATERMELON!!!!

Smells I Can't Stand
- Benny opened a can of corn the other day... I walked past the closed refrigerator and gagged. Turns out, this is a smell that's going to haunt me this entire pregnancy.

- I'm considering petitioning the airlines not to allow peanuts on any flight for the next four months or so. I almost vomited right on Benny's lap on the way home from San Diego. PEOPLE! They offer peanuts OR cookies! Choose the cookies! Save the sanity of this pregnant woman, if just for this flight!

- Turns out that vinegar is now a no-no in the House (or other eating establishment) That Jaynee Is Pregnant In. We discovered this a while ago, but I was sent over the edge a couple of weeks ago while at a local restaurant. The table next to us ordered a Greek Salad... and not even reprising my childhood role as a mouth-breather made it better.

Bonus Features
- My cousin told me the other day that I was a cute pregnant. She just made my LIFE.

- Benny tells me I'm a cute pregnant whenever he gets the chance. Which just made my marriage.

- Benny got the nursery all painted and ready for population. We've had so many thoughtful friends and family sending us so many beautiful gifts. Momo and her fam sent this AWESOME blanket, quilt and matching burp cloths to us right before we left for San Diego:


I'm not sure if Tweet will ever get to use it, though. It's so soft and I'm just that selfish that I might just keep it for myself! Thanks MoMo!!!

My mom - the first-time Grandma-To-Be - has been outdoing herself in the blanket department. She showed up this weekend with a new receiving blanket and matching burp clothes.


Seriously... could this be any more precious? CHECK OUT THE BIRDS ON THERE!

Quick question, though... all these burp cloths.... are you all telling me that babies burp a lot?


Week 23!!!

The Good News Is, You Get Your Lips From Me!

So... this was started three weeks ago... but I got lazy. And distracted. And fat. I realize I have a few weeks to make up for. For now, here's a note to Tweet.

Dear Tweet,
How you doin' in there, baby girl? That's right... the secret is out. You, my dear are 100% pure chica-to-be.

When your pops and I went in for the ultrasound a couple of weeks ago, we were nervous and unsure... the decision was still technically up in the air as to whether or not we were going to find out the question we've been hammered with every day since we broke the news: Pink or Blue? Would your father have to learn how to braid, or would I have to purchase a Pee-Pee Tee-Pee?

Yes... there may have been some discussion for the past 21 weeks about whether or not we'd find out what you were going to be prior to the big day in October. But just prior to going in, I told your father that I absolutely wanted to know. And that was that.

As we're beginning to learn, everyone has an opinion on everything baby related. Or rather, "Why would you do it this way when you can do it this way?" related. So, that's been interesting. The only thing we've really figured out based on this phenomenon is that there are a GAZILLION ways of doing things... so I figure we've got just as good a shot as any of not screwing up, right?

But the decision to find out finally came down to the fact that your mother can't handle waiting for a surprise. It's a bit of a fault, I admit. I've been known to peek at Christmas... and your father has to go out of his way to pull one over on me. Why would we even think it possible that I could wait another 4 months for the biggest surprise of our lives?

You, my dear, were fast asleep on your tummy. You were breech, with your knees under you in child's pose while your arms were behind your head. Which... I guess?... is comfy? Your spine looked good, as did your brain, your kidneys, your heart and your legs and arms. You even waved to us with your right hand. Do you remember that? No? Cuz it's something we'll never forget.

We also got to see a glimpse of your face... albeit through the back of your head, but we got a pretty clear view. It was downright shocking at first. As in... 'HOLY COW! WAS THAT A FACE?' One day, I'll show you the DVD. It'll be just like when my mom and dad put up the screen and turned on the old projector. Only... probably less interesting as it's only in black and white and really... all you did was wave. At least when we watched the projector when I was a kid, we got to see me riding our pet cow. And no... before you ask, you cannot have one. We'll let you ride the cat, though... as she's almost as big as a cow.

Anyhoo, you wouldn't turn over no matter how much prodding with the ultrasound wand the technician gave you. In her words... you've got a mind of your own. Which means that you take after me... and your father doesn't stand a chance.

The technician really, really, REALLY tried to get you to turn over so we could get a profile shot, Tweet. But you were having none of it. We tried every position possible. Right side, left side... I'm pretty sure at one point I was standing on my head... but nothing worked. I was actually not okay with what the tech was doing to get you to wake up. I mean... if she wants to sleep, for the love of Pete, let her sleep! You were content to just snooze, and wave your little hand at us as if to give us some insight as to what you'll be like in 16 or so years after a night out toilet papering the mayors yard.

Not that your mom or any other living relative know anything about that kind of behavior.

*Ahem*

You were so content and relaxed, that we've started to call you our little Chillaxer. Not worried about anything. Not causing too much of a fuss. And if I may ask you one teeny-tiny favor.... PLEASE STAY THAT WAY AFTER YOU TAKE YOUR FIRST BREATH ON THIS EARTH!!!

Your father and I were so amazed when we first saw you on the screen. There are really no words to describe the feeling of seeing your baby for the first time. And when the technician broke the news that you, my dear, are a GIRL... well, the party that your father and I had in our hearts at the exact same time in that room is something that we'll try to explain and show you for the rest of your life. In effect, you made both of our hearts smile at the exact. same. time.

It's been three weeks since that big day, and I still haven't gotten over the fact that you're actually in there. And, occasionally, you remind me that... yep, you're awake! You kicks have been pretty subtle the last few weeks... I feel them, but your father is hit and miss. You need to start kicking just a leetle bit more so that he gets to feel you like I do. But, if you could kindly stay away from the liver, that would help me out A LOT.

All of your grandparents and aunties and uncles are so excited for you to come join us out here. But perhaps none of them are as impatient as your Papa. He would like you to have been here YESTERDAY. I keep telling him that you're still cooking in there... as evidenced by my 10 degree body temp difference.

But, me? I'm glad to just have you in me, with me... safe, happy, healthy... and chillaxin'.

I'll see you in a few months.

Love,
Mama

Sunday, June 28, 2009

The First of Many Sleepless Nights

It's nearly midnight. I've been lying in bed for an hour but I can't seem to fall asleep.

What can I say, I have a lot on my mind. First and foremost, Tweet is on my mind. A short time ago she was merely a dream. Just a twinkle in my eye. But tonight, like many nights prior and many nights to come, my dreams of fatherhood keep me from sleeping.

I'm stirred by a question that a good friend asked me recently; "Ben, are you ready to be a father?" My answer was a resounding "YES!" I AM ready to be Tweet's father. I don't think I'll ever be fully prepared for what lies ahead, but I do believe with all my heart, all of my soul and all of my love, that I am ready to be her father. I may not fully understand the sleepless nights, the messy diapers nor the fundamental changes that lie ahead, but I understand the love that is in my heart.

It is this love that keeps me awake at night. The yearning in my heart that can't be quelled. An impulse that draws my hand to Jaynee's. A desire to tell her that I love her, to thank her for the life that she has given me, for the life that lies ahead, and the daughter that we will bring into this world. Tonight, I feel an unmatched emotion that compels me to reach for her tummy. Just one more touch before I say goodnight. One last connection with the woman of my dreams. One last connection with the daughter I've never met, yet love so much.

This is the joy that keeps me from sleeping. The joy of fatherhood. The joy of fatherhood to be. Fatherhood is a role I've never experienced, but my heart tells me that I'm ready. My heart tells me that love is all I need.

BECAUSE WITH LOVE, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Surprise!

Guess what we're having???


Coming October 20, 2009

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Bump Watch - 20 Weeks

HALF. WAY. THERE!!!

Woo-hoo!

This week, Benny and I celebrated our 6-year anniversary. It was a long week for both of us. I had my business trip in Anaheim, and Benny had to work nights out on the lakes that he oversees. I had a pretty hard time sleeping all week because the way things work in the House That Benny Built requires that we sleep in the same bed, at the same time. The way things work around here also dictates that no matter what time I have to get up, Benny is required to get up first. If I get up before him for any reason, both of our days are shot. True story.

And, being in Anaheim does not preclude one from these rules. So... not being in the same bed (not to mention same state or same time zone) made sleep damn near impossible. Plus... you know, in hotel room, there's a tv just sitting there waiting for you to turn it on at midnight so you can catch the last half of Harold and Kumar Got To Guantanamo Bay and HOLY COW! Neil Patrick Harris gets killed in this? I cannot abide that.

Anyhoo... when I finally got home and Benny still had to work that night, it was more of the same for me sleep-wise. Not to mention every time I heard the dog snore, I would wake up and immediately have to pee. I'm considering getting the dog a Breathe Right strip. See if that helps.

Friday, Benny had an "epic, babe... EPIC" hike to the top of Malan's Peak and sent me this pic while I was at work. To say I freaked out because he was right on the edge of the cliff was an understatement. I should have known it was a trick of the camera since Benny's never been more than 2 feet off solid ground in his entire life. Cool pic, though.

That night, we celebrated our anniversary early by heading to Salt Lake for an Il Divo concert. We were both excited... but also both extremely tired. Like I said, it had been a long week. And we weren't sure how the concert would be since it was at the Delta Center and it's not known to have great acoustics.

But... HOLY COW!! What an amazing concert! A couple of their songs brought a tear to my eye. When they sang Bridge Over Troubled Water I was done. I slid right out of my chair and became a shuddering puddle of emotions at Benny's feet.

I did have an epiphany on the way to the car after the concert, though. When I took off my shoes because they were uncomfortable, I realized that these particular shoes have NEVER been uncomfortable. And at that moment, I realized what the whole "barefoot and pregnant" stereotype was all about. It's not that it's a reach to figure it out, but you have to remember I've never really given much thought about pregnancy prior to this. And, I guess now I should apologize to all my girlfriends who have been pregnant in the past who, when I've called them to say hello and check up on them, haven't reached through the phone and strangled me (or at the very least started to cry) when I greeted them with my usual: "What up, fatty?"

So, yes... my shoes no longer fit. As a matter of fact, my crocs that I wore to Europe that were just a tad bit too big are now kinda tight. This new development is not sitting well with me... because my crocs were the one thing I could count on, you know? When my pants stopped fitting and my shirts looked like someone had stuffed a double-stuffed oreo into a Barbie work jacket... I knew my crocs would still do their job.

Yea... I give them another week.

Symptoms
- Difficulty sleeping. Because of no Benny and because the belly's starting to make it's demands known.

- I may have been a leetle emotional this week.

- Sleeping in til 10 a.m. is not unheard of. If Benny would just get out of bed, then we could start our day. This is NOT my fault. I would have been up at 9:45 if he'd just gotten out of bed!


Complaints
- I would really like a Body Pillow.

- My shoes don't fit. I have now become the stereotype. But luckily, my friend Krista told me that flippy-floppys are on sale at Old Navy for $1. Word.

Cravings
- Found mold on the top of the OJ container... so that craving may have gone away now.

Smells I Can't Stand
- Canned corn
- Other people eating peanuts. Kaycee is in serious violation of this. ALL THE TIME.
- Vinegar... this was just discovered during the writing of this post when Benny came in with a salad with dressing of oil and vinegar.

Bonus Features
- The belly has gotten quite firm this week... making it not only more noticable visually, but has given me a new belly awareness. Especially when I have to bend down to get something off the floor. It's strange but cool.

- Il Divo was amazing and I'm so glad that Tweet got to experience it as well. Il Divo even dedicated a song to the mom's (and mom's-to-be) in the audience. Heads up... my new favorite song is: "MaMa". Benny dedicated it to me personally. Sorry, ladies... I snatched him up first.



Or, you know... this one since I'm now obsessed and have added seeing Il Divo at the Acropolis to my Bucket List.



- I have fired the maternity underwear. They've been donated to the local zoo for the elephants who are looking for a loose fitting undies.



20 Weeks!

Monday, June 1, 2009

Bump Watch - 19 Weeks

I was in Anaheim for work this week, and while I normally don't mind traveling to these types of events, I was rather put out this time because flying to Anaheim includes.... flying. And right now, my bladder maxes out at about 30 minutes... and, just as an FYI to any flight attendants out there reading this: Calling it a "quick" hour long flight to Anaheim in a teeny-tiny regional jet DOES. NOT. MAKE. IT. SO.

And when the flight attendant tells you that the flight time is just a little under an hour, it's exactly like being told at mile 25 of a marathon that there's just one mile left. If I hadn't been sitting in the very back of the plane, I would have had to hit her.

Prior to the trip to Anaheim, Benny and I and our friends Ryan and Kaylene flew out to Edmonton, Alberta, for a wedding. And THAT flight was a lovely 3 hours. THREE. HOURS. I almost died. The only thing that made it bearable was that I was traveling with Benny and he was able to take the brunt of my complaining... that's his role in this pregnancy, apparently. And I love him for it.

Randy and Joana's wedding was beautiful and it was great to see so many of our old friends there. Benny and I tore up the dance floor... which means that we bounced up and down (off-beat) while Randy's 10-year-old nephew danced circles around us Michael Jackson-style.

In fact, the only time we really got down was when Salt-n-Pepa's "Push It" came on. It was hard not to take advantage to the lyrics: "Oooo baby, baybay! B-baby-babay! Oooo, baby, baybay! B-baby-babay!" by rubbing the belly and swinging it around 360 degrees knocking over real dancers in cute dresses that did not have a belly-band attached to their attire. This... this is where the weight gain is TOTALLY worth it.

In short, we did our part to draw attention to the belly and let on-lookers wonder how much we'd had to drink. Because no one in their right mind would do that STONE. COLD. SOBER. (Enter the soon-to-be parents from O-Town... stage left).

Week 19 has been interesting, to say the least. In general, food doesn't taste good to me right now. I don't know if that's related to the fact that drinking water gives me heartburn and my body is self-consciously telling me not to bother with food because I'll feel terrible afterwards, or if it's the baby telling me that maybe eating an enchilada for breakfast isn't the way to go. I mean, really... it could be anything.

I've also started to become... shall we say, put out?... by things that I never would have noticed before. Things that now make me want to pull my ears off and throw at the perpetrator and scream: "Put those on and tell me how pleasant that sound is now??"

This came to a head at the Edmonton Airport when a group of men sat down at a table next to us in the restaurant where we'd stopped to grab breakfast. Nevermind the fact that I was already irritated with them because they took forever to check in and they didn't seem to notice the lasers coming out of my eyes, burning a hole in the back of their heads as we waited for them to check-in.

But, I digress. I'm telling you right now: THEY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE LOUD. They could have tried, but they would have failed miserably. I mean, how hard is it, really, to lift the chair up and GENTLY pull it out vs acting like animals and scraping the chair against the floor?? Where is our dignity? Where is our humanity? For Pete's Sake, where is my hot chocolate????

As a public service message, let me just give you all this bit of advice: If you see a pregnant woman about to lose it for no good reason, consider shutting up, and making sure your sandwich wrapper doesn't make too much noise. Or she may go postal on you. And it won't be pretty.

Symptoms
- There is no hiding the belly now. It is here to stay for the next few months.
- Heartburn. All. The. Time. Even Tums isn't coming to the rescue right now!
- I might be a tad irritable... but that's entirely conjecture.
- Benny says my gas is subsiding. Which is good because THAT was unreasonable.
- Noise is driving me nuts. Any kind of noise.
- I've had some serious acne that will. not. die.

Complaints
- I really, REALLY need to find a good bra. This is getting ridiculous.

- It would be really great if people stopped talking or scraping their chairs on the floor in front of me.

- Right before we left for the airport to go to Edmonton, Randy called Benny to tell us to pack some "clubbin' clothes". *Blink* *Blink* I BARELY have clothes that fit that are appropriate for going to K-Mart. You think I can just magically find something to go clubbin' in? NOT. HAPPENING.

- Seriously... not even my skorts from The Center of the Universe (Costco) are fitting well, anymore.

- I got a Bella Band so that I can wear some of my old shorts longer... but I'm not exactly thrilled with the way it's working right now because you can still see the outline of the shorts underneath the band and the shirt and it looks weird. Like maybe I'm carrying a Terminator baby.

- Bought my first pair of maternity underwear. THIS IS NOT OKAY. The amount of material I pulled out of that container could have fit two elephants. Strike one for maternity clothes.

Cravings
- Eh. Blah.

Smells I Can't Stand
- Canned corn
- Other people eating peanuts. Kaycee is in serious violation of this. ALL THE TIME.

Bonus Features
- Got to try on Randy's Canadian Football Championship rings. Never had so much bling on in my life!

- We had a great time in Edmonton with everyone. Traveled with Ryan and Kaylene and had a blast! We've decided that once a year the four of us need to go on a trip together!

- Apparently I still have the glow, so that's good. Just ignore the zits on top of the glow and no one will get hurt.


- Met the Cincinnati Bengals starting outside linebacker. Benny called him by the wrong name all. night. long. and he never said a thing. Nice guy. Salt of the earth. And he didn't even try to rub the belly!!!

- Visited Cheesecake Factory for the first time in my life... finally found a food that tasted good. Who. Knew? There's a reason I won't be back to Cheesecake Factory for a while. I'm just sayin'.






19 Weeks!