Saturday, February 14, 2009

Things an Awkward Pregnant Lady Does

Notice the gray cardigan.
First thought that came to mind: Lop-sided.


Last night, I planned on going to see Friday the 13th, and I teased Joshua, who absolutely hates horror movies, that he was going to have to take me. After he sent me a beautiful bouquet of roses yesterday, I started feeling a little guilty about forcing him to see a movie he clearly had no interest in seeing. I’ve been trying to think more like a parent recently, so I decided to get on this website called Kids-In-Mind Movie Reviews to find out how awful this Friday the 13th movie might be. For those that have not visited this website, it provides literally everything that is in any movie, down to the number of swear words, sex scenes, and in terms of Friday the 13th, the number of graphic beheadings. It includes almost every major movie released in the past ten (10) years or so with new releases added each week. So, I looked up Friday the 13th. I won’t tell you everything that was in the movie review itself, but I will tell you that the words “thrust” and “bare-breasted” appeared numerous times….and that was before I even got to the “Violence & Gore” section. This fine film also features fifty-nine (59) F-words! Fifty-Nine! That is just disgusting! Even though my unborn child probably has yet to develop ears, his or her mother decided that we would not be worth risking the possibility that he or she would hear that level of profanity. So, the overbearing and overprotective parenting begins while Pistachio is still in the womb.


Instead of watching the vulgar and potentially pornographic blood bath, we elected to see Confessions of a Shopaholic, a peppy and delightful PG-rated chick flick that I absolutely loved. Joshua was equally unenthused and preferred to remain at the Farm to feed his cows and play computer games. After the beautiful flowers, he effectively earned a pass. Emily, Lindsay, and I headed off for an early movie, and after a quick dinner at Quizno’s, we went the Sapulpa Cinema 8. We loaded up on Hot Tamales and Twizzlers, and then we went to the arcade at the movie theater and played air hockey until, to be honest, we got a little sweaty. During our sweaty air hockey tournament, I started reflecting on our little outing: Three twenty-something girls seeing a 6:45 PM PG movie at a tiny theater in Sapulpa and playing air hockey with reckless abandon on a dirty table covered in greasy fingerprints in an arcade where half of the games are out-of order. I have to admit I loved our awkward and completely random Friday night, and it got me thinking about all of the fabulously awkward and ridiculously uncool things I’ve done since I learned of my oh-so-delicate condition.
  • First, I literally have not worn my jeans since I discovered my pregnancy. Instead, I’ve elected to wear some variation of yoga or work pants. I have this complex that the button on my jeans is putting undue pressure on my unborn child’s head. I don’t want our child to come out of womb with “Gap Jeans” emblazoned on its forehead. I feel the same way when I see little babies wearing headbands. That headband could literally be squeezing that child’s brain cells, but its mother thinks (wrongly) that it looks cute so she is willing to take a risk. Well, not me. Pistachio Almond Allison will not be squished by a metal button, and if Pistachio happens to be a girl, she can wear a little pink bow rather than a gaudy polka-dot headband. She will thank me later. My pants, however, are not the trendiest items in my wardrobe. Last weekend, I went to the movie with my buddy, Lisa, in black velour pants, Coach tennis shoes, and my Celine Dion t-shirt. She did not say a word about it, but frankly, I was a little embarrassed for her to be seen with me.

  • I wear an oversized, neutral-colored cardigan sweater with almost everything. T-Shirts, dress blouses, tank tops…all are equally complimented by the infamous pregnant lady, gray cardigan. Occasionally, I dress the cardigan up with some oversized matching gray pearls. Other times, I simply embrace the fact that I look like a chubby school marm.

  • I eat some variation of a turkey sandwich almost every day. It is a healthy option that does not seem to inspire Pistachio Almond to do water aerobics in my stomach. The people at Subway in the Bristow know me. They practically begin to make the Turkey on Wheat when I walk through the door.

  • I eat an inordinate amount of green beans, my very favorite vegetable since I was a little girl. In fact, I have a pot of fresh green beans cooking on my stove as I write this little blog entry. Our unborn child must also be a fan of Hormel and Green Giant.

  • I also shuffle to the bathroom several times a night and fight the urge to sleep in my desk chair around 2 PM every day.

  • I took a foot stool to my office so I could secretly prop my feet up under my desk while I meet with clients. A friend told me that a little old lady she used to work with had a foot stool like mine under her desk. She probably had orthopedic shoes and a chain for her glasses too. I don’t judge.

This morning, I went to Wal-Mart in Bristow sans make-up in my oversized sweat shirt and yoga pants. I pulled my disheveled bed-head hair into a pony tail without even brushing it. I may or may not have worn a bra. Joshua and I went to grab some groceries for our stay-at-home Valentine’s Day dinner tonight, but I was distracted by the music department. I found a new two disc Celine Dion greatest hits CD, and I was truly overwhelmed. The clerk at Wal-Mart even overcharged me for the CD, but I didn’t care because Celine is worth an extra four dollars. We drove home listening to Celine and Andrea Bocelli at almost full volume, and I may have squeezed out a tiny tear. My feeling is that these little incidents represent only the beginning of what will hopefully be a long road of silly and awkward behavior as a new parent. I take comfort in knowing that it will probably be at least twelve or thirteen more years before Pistachio (with eyes rolling) truly realizes what a weirdo I am.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Superbowl? Yeah, Whatever, Go Cowboys...

I love my Dad. He sent me this picture right before the Superbowl started. I just wanted the blog world to know that I was raised right! I don't care about the Steelers. I hope they lose. I don't care about the Cardinals. I hope they lose less. I don't care if Hines Ward has a killer smile or if Kurt Warner is as charitable as Mother Teresa. If they could both lose in embarrassing fashion, I would be genuinely delighted. I come from a family of true blue Dallas Cowboys fans. I don't care about their drama. We rooted for them when they were 1-15 in 1989 which means we earned the right to talk badly about Tony Romo and T.O. in private (I miss Troy and Michael). We have five Superbowl Rings....so do the Steelers and the 49ers. So, I am begrudingly rooting for the Cardinals tonight. See you next year, Cards and Steelers, when you are both 6 and 10. Go Cowboys!

Blogging Up Baby



This past Friday, we had our follow-up appointment to check on the progress of Pistachio Almond Allison. Before the appointment, I started fretting that I might have to do another urine test, so I drank about a gallon of water en route to the doctor’s appointment. When I finally arrived, I was in a bad way, but my doctor was “in surgery” (which I think is code for “She slept through her alarm clock” or “She’s playing Solitaire in the back”). We ended up sitting around for about an hour and half during which time I could have successfully deposited about fifteen samples.
The nurse finally called my name, and Mom, Joshua, and I went back to have our ultrasound. I think that my reaction to the entire process was this: Oh, the indignity of it all and it is only just beginning. Before they took me back, the nurse forced me to take a urine test, weighed me, took my blood pressure, took my temperature, and then handed me a sheet of paper about testing my unborn child for literally every possible horrible disorder that might cause any first time mother to fly into a panic. Just as I am beginning to come to terms with the fact that I am with child, I suddenly have to decide immediately whether my child should be tested to see if its organs are growing outside its body. I mean, is it too much to ask for just a simple “Congratulations?” Afterwards, they cram us all in a tiny exam room and hand me a gown I could have camped underneath. Since this is a family blog, I am going to fast forward through the next part of my exam, but keep in mind, I have no dignity left.

My doctor worked really hard to get a nice picture of Pistachio, but I must confess that they all just looked like a blurry blob to me. Mom took one of the pictures to work to show off her grandblob. Here is what we do know: The doctor thinks little Pistachio is not as far along as first expected. Apparently, I am only about 7-8 weeks along which makes Pistachio’s new due date September 17, 2009. Pistachio had a heart rate of about 157 and is currently about 8 centimeters long.

After the ultrasound, the doctor sent me downstairs to do “some blood work,” (Translation: Suck 9 viles of blood sucked from my already starving body). I pretty much passed out in the chair. A cold rag and two apple juices later, I was good as new but still not quite sure I am cut out for all this!

We are headed back in four weeks to check the progress of Pistachio, but I think it is safe to say I have never seen my family so enthralled with such a tiny little thing. After our appointment, Emily and I went and did a little baby shopping. Mom and Joshua joined us later (for the second trip to Babies R Us), and we finished our day at our family’s favorite Mexican restaurant in Broken Arrow, El Tequila, for dinner. Enjoy some silly pictures from our day!

Mom and Dad want to carry on the Lester family tradition of buying a crib for the grandbaby. Joshua and I liked this set. The bed can transitition to a todller bed and then to a full size bed. The color is fairly close to the molding in the nursery. Yes, I called the room a nursery. Joshua called that room the nursery since we moved in. I have called it the guest room. Until now, I guess.

I bought this onesie because I thought Joshua's mom would really like it since she loves bumble bees. It has a bee on the front of it and says, "I'm what the buzz is all about." Pretty darn cute. Emily bought one too (after an exceedingly awkward encounter with a flamboyant employee of Baby Gap), but for some reason, I couldn't get the picture to load. It is white and has an apple on the front of it with a green worm poking out. It says, "Hello World."

Emily and I decided to test the durability of this stroller in Babies R Us. Notice how Emily is pretending to sleep while being pushed around the store. It really is a wonder we didn't get asked to leave the premises.

Again, notice the expression on my mother's face. She is such a happy and cute future G-Ma!