32 Weeks and Growing… A Lot.

The last time I wore pants with zippers was at about 17 weeks gestation– this was taken at 16 weeks and after taking it, I remember thinking my belly looked huge (hence the maternity pant shopping spree the following week)…

Baby D-B belly, 16 weeks.

THIS, however, taken 16 weeks later (today), is just downright ridiculous. Can we all just agree on that? And, you know what’s even more ridiculous? At 8 months or 32 weeks pregnant, this monster (the belly, not Baby D-B) could grow for another NINE weeks. NINE. (The doctor says he’ll let me go as long as 41 weeks.)

Baby D-B belly, 32 weeks.

Nesting.

So, evidently, we’re going to be parents…

Doesn't all nesting begin at Ikea?

No pressure but if you mess this up your child will most certainly die.

"Step back. I've got this."

"Loving my new bed!"

"Soon. Yet not soon enough."

Crib? Check.

My Model Husband…

Lookie who is a featured model on the Perch Furniture blog! Our new couch. Oh and Aaron too!

Cleaning Up Sand Lake Beach

It was cold, it was rainy and it was dirty, frustrating work, but we had a great time at SOLVE’s annual beach clean-up in Sand Lake, OR. Even NEWMAN had a great time, chasing seagulls and waves for three hours.

I have no idea how many pounds of litter the four of us removed but it was certainly rewarding and we’ll definitely go back again next year — baby in tow.

Volunteering with SOLVE on the Oregon Coast.

SOLVE Spring Clean-Up on the Oregon Coast. (ht Julie Dery

Newman was a great helper at SOLVE's Spring Clean-Up!

How I Knew He Was the One

I knew Aaron was the one from the moment I met him, but this moment really cemented the deal. (hat tip to Sarah Street for her excellent photography-ing)

Wine.

Paid Maternity Leave = Stronger Societies? Discuss.

I’m a big fan of the infographic (sorry @StephenSolo) and this one caught my eye today, being quite timely…and fairly disturbing.

I can’t tell you how many times people who ask me about my maternity leave plans are amazed that I will get zero pay during my three months off. But it seems that’s the unfortunate truth of breeding in the US (“we want you to breed but we’re going to make doing so as hard as possible”). And my office is certainly not the exception to some unspoken paying standard out there as sadly, paid maternity benefits are not a given, requirement or legality in this country and thus not given by many, many office places.

That said, because we have fewer than 50 employees, my boss is not even legally required to permit me even a single day off for maternity leave (FMLA only applies to offices with 50 or more people), so I feel lucky to be given the time I’ve been given, unpaid or not — Can you imagine having a baby and going back to work the next week by necessity? Or the next day? 

I’m not coherent enough at this point in my pregnancy to structure an overly opinionated argument around why supported and structured maternity benefits are a great idea for everyone — not just those of us who chose to breed —  but I know there’s a logical, meaningful argument out there to support such change. Something about babies benefitting from time with their actual parents (not daycare providers), growing into worthwhile adults, reductions to the prison population and drop-out rates, fewer deaths and disabilities, all equaling a more stable, happy society, etc.

You know — all that feel good-y liberal-y stuff.

Anyway —  I’ll just let this infographic make my argument for me but I’m interested to hear what you think about this argument if you care to share.

Maternity Leave Across the World (Infographic)

Fat Guy in a Little Coat?

“What? This totally fits me.”

Third Trimester Has Begun.

Someone asked Aaron recently, “Is Jennie showing yet?”

Third Trimester Belly (27 Weeks, 2 Days)

Umm. Yes. Jennie is definitely showing. Because third trimester has begun. Last Saturday to be precise.

I feel like I have been pregnant forever. But I also feel like I have forever to go. This whole experience has been such a roller coaster ride of feelings and emotions — lots of sickness, but more recently, utter amazement at this living, breathing, thing rolling around inside.

My third trimester goal is to live in the moment — not just anticipate what’s next. Because I know I’ll never do this again and I don’t want to forget any of it. Okay, maybe the first trimester. But not much since.

So, hello, third trimester. Nice to meet you. I can tell that we are gonna be friends.

Friday Favorite: New Blog — Deal With It Portland

LOVING this new blog, Deal With It Portland. Here’s why:

• Because we need a reality check like no other city. On earth.
• Because this city is just downright silly sometimes with our over enthusiasm to be weird.
• Because #OH by Aaron recently, “I wish I were on food stamps.” I mean, really? REALLY? Really you wish you were on food stamps?
• Because when did it become hip to be poor? Like trendy hip? Like anyone who can pay their bills is uncool? I thought that was just the function of being an adult.
• Because one who dresses ‘normal’ can’t sell clothes back to the resell stores in this town because they’re not crappy enough.
• Because men in tiny jeans, too small t-shirts and giant handle bar mustaches are a novelty for magazines and MOVEMBER… not everyday life. I don’t want to see the jean outline of your package, sir. And your ironic, laissez faire handle bar mustache that meets in at your Adam’s Apple is cute — for us to make fun of. You look like a Doobie brother–and I don’t mean that as a compliment. I mean you look like the douche-y Doobie Brother that everyone thought was just silly.
• Because being overly unpretentious is actually…. pretentious.
• Because leaving ‘FREE’ stuff on the corner is just freaking lazy and makes the neighborhood look shitty. NO one actually takes that shit…it just sits there and gets wet and soggy. No, I don’t want your now unreadable 1989 college text book on the female identity crisis. No, I don’t want your half composted, natural fiber sweater that has been sitting in a cardboard box lid in a front yard since rainy season began. No, I don’t want your heavily used, faded, southwest print, undoubtedly, flea and/or bed bug laden comforter you put out last week. Get off your lazy rear end and take it to Goodwill. You’re making everything ugly.
• Because selling your local company to a bigger more ‘corporate’ company just because you’d like to do well by yourself is NOT, I repeat, NOT a sin. Nor is it any of your all’s business… unless you own said company. I’d like to see ANY ONE OF YOU turn down large monetary offer for your product. Oh wait, you’re striving to be on food stamps so maybe you would.
• Because local is cool but let’s face it, Target has it’s time and it’s place….so can we just be realistic about that instead of harping on the fact that we should ONLY EVER SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES? I don’t want to pay 5,000 freaking dollars for a locally sourced, organic shower curtain that will STILL only last me a couple months before it molds and I have to replace it. Who can afford to live like that?
• Because the show Portlandia is funny BECAUSE IT’S TRUE!!! TRUE!

The only thing I don’t like about this blog is that I didn’t think of it first.  #Missedopportunities

Deal with it Portland.

My 5 Pregnancy Cravings

While I think of these more as demands from the womb, rather than piddly pregnancy cravings (this really downplays their power), I’ve had a couple notable changes to my diet since becoming pregnant. (I’m sharing because I get asked this question nearly every week):

1. 

   Baby D-B loves McDonald's cheeseburgers!

   McDonalds Cheeseburgers.

2. Cake. Any type. Any time. Just bring mama cake. I even peer pressured Aaron into buying me an ENTIRE cake at Whole Foods recently. It was delicious and we ate the entire thing (over the course of five days).
3. Doritos (for a brief week in December). Nacho Cheese. Cool Ranch. I’m flexible.
4. Sugary cereals like Apple Jacks and Fruit Loops.
5. Mexican. (though I ‘crave’ this with or without my womb-mate, so I’m not sure this qualifies)

Other pregnant ladies — are you craving sugar like me or totally other things?

Earning My Shamrock Stripes (Finally)

I’ve signed up for the Shamrock Run countless times since we’ve lived in Portland, but until this year I never actually went. Here is proof that I pulled it off this year:

Shamrock Run 2012 in Portland, OR.

Generally, my Shamrock Run morning goes something like this:

Aaron: [alarm buzzing at some ridiculous time for a Sunday morning]: Honey, we have to get up now if we’re going to make it downtown.

Jennie: [angry and annoyed, hungover in at least one instance] Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Why do we do this every year? This is so stupid. Why would I want to get out of bed this early on a Sunday and freaking run? I haaaaattttteeeee running.

Aaron: [not surprised] Sooooo, do you not want to go?

Jennie: No, FRIIIICCCCCKK, I’ll go. [snaps] Give me a minute!

Gets up, stumbles to the bathroom, becomes cold, looks out window and discovers horrible March weather.

Jennie: [crawling back into bed] I’m not freaking going. No way am I running in that shit.

Aaron: Are you sure?

Jennie: [feels slightly guilty] Yeah, but you’ll be okay without me, right? (says the woman who runs like 18 minute miles)

Aaron: I’ll be fine.

Jennie: Do you mind if I stay home?

Aaron: Not at all.

But this year, between motivation from my race associated fundraising efforts and those early riser pregnancy hormones, I proud to say that I surrendered to my 7:45 am fate with little to no resistance, completing the Shamrock Stride in about 45-50 minutes. Yes, I look absolutely busted, but I dragged that belly across the finish line dammit, so vanity was an afterthought at that point!

In reality, early morning rising and busted-ness were totally worth it because I raised $420 for one of my favorite Portland causes, Playworks Portland. It was a win-win-win for me… and I didn’t miss my sleep (that’s a lie).

So, maybe next year I’ll show up again….Baby D-B in tow!

Shamrock Run 2012 in Portland, OR.

Shamrock Run 2012 in Portland, OR.

Shamrock Run 2012 in Portland, OR.

 

Of All Things I Never Thought I’d Do in My Life…

Of all the things I never thought I’d do in my life, stand outside in the

• cold
• driving
• rain
• in early March
• in Portland, Oregon
• at a sporting event

was definitely on the list. Maybe even near the top of the list.

But I went. I froze. I was soaked to the bone. And I had a blast! And we won!

RCTID!

Portland Timbers Season 2 Home Opener Game in March 2012.

Portland Timbers Season 2 Home Opener in March 2012.

Sometimes You Just Gotta Play in the Mud

…when you live in Portland, Oregon. Elst, one might never play.

Muddy hike through Forest Park with my brother, Chris, in March in Portland, OR.

Practice Makes Perfect?

Our friends Priscilla and Mike were kind enough to send us the Ergo Baby last week, as a gift for one of our Kansas City baby showers… Timber is so grateful!

No, seriously… this was maybe the greatest moment of Timber’s life.

Kitteh likes the Ergo Baby too!

(And so are we! As you can tell, we’re already practicing!)

And the Beast Moves On…

Probably the hardest decision I’ve had to make since getting myself all pregnant and such is what to do with Lucas. Should he stay or should he go?

"Immediately quit touching me."

Most of you who have ever met Lucas would vote for ‘go’ without a moment’s hesitation…particularly with a small defenseless person coming in just four months. And I totally understand why you would think that… afterall, he is kind of Satan in a furry suit. Mostly, he hates his furry brothers, me and Aaron, and he’s just kind of a jerk.

That said–Lucas has been with me, thick and thin for a decade. We moved to no short of half a dozen locations together–across the country at least once–and jerk or not, he was my constant companion through all the change that the last several years brought about. Letting go of him wasn’t going to happen overnight.

To top that off, I felt terrible pet owner guilt about the idea of giving him up because as you all know, we’re very committed to the pets we adopt and love–regardless of any… shortcomings… they might have in temper or disposition. I never want to be *that* pet owner that just shoves their pet off as soon as the situation is no longer convenient.

However, after thinking it over long and hard, and talking to a friend in the pet community–a friend whose opinion I respect (and one who would totally judge me if I made the wrong decision on this)–I concluded that not only is giving Lucas away to a safe, loving home the right thing to do for Baby D-B, but it is also the right thing to do for Lucas, who would, undoubtedly, be miserable living in a home with a baby.

And so, Lucas moved to Eugene last weekend with our former housemate Kelley and her boyfriend Jordan, who took a fancy to Lucas while living with him last summer. The move happened while I was off gallivanting around San Diego a couple weekends ago, so I didn’t have to actually live through it in person.

Two weeks later and I’m thrilled to report that Lucas is thriving in his new home where he is, once again, a single child–just the way he likes it.

Kelley wrote to me today and said:

[Lucas] is adapting so well. Both Jordan and I can pet him from head to tail and elicit purrs instead of bites. I’ve already had more contact with him now than I had all [last] summer!

So, while there will always be a little soft spot in my heart for my first furry ‘child,’ I am pleased as punch to know that his new life is even better for him than the life we were giving him (with or without Baby D-B)! His personality already seems to have improved simply being a singleton.

I have no doubt that Kelley and Jordan will be wonderful parents to him from now on out and all my fears about giving him up are gone. So, congratulations to the new, happy family! We definitely owe you all a glass of celebratory/thank you champagne!

Cute, cute bebe Lucas.

Maybe this was the moment where it all began to go wrong.

"I'll get you printer!"

AH! Upside down kitteh!