Pregnancy Phobias

I am a phobic person as is. Add pregnancy hormones, and I become borderline crazy with random fears. I think most women have their share of pregnancy phobias. I just like to take it the extra mile! For example, for some reason, when I can't get a hold of my husband right away, I instantly jump to the conclusion that he has been in a fiery car crash or something like that. This crazy fear had me close to tears about a month ago when Nic was a little late to a doctor's appointment and his phone battery had died. I don't know why I always jump to the worst case scenario, but I do! Sometimes a pregnant woman will become almost superstitious in her fears. If I hear that a friend ate a chocolate shake right before she went into pre-term labor, I won't touch a chocolate shake. And I have my share of good luck items that I hold onto and bad luck items that I avoid like the plague. Then there are all those rules and suggestions that are found in pregnancy books--from hot dogs to sandwich meats to lying on your back...when you're pregnant and have a little growing baby inside of you who depends on you, the world suddenly becomes a very scary place.
Well, today I overcame a fear. I went to the dentist. I know that pregnant women go to the dentist all the time, no big deal. I know that all the books say that visiting the dentist is a good thing. My doctor told me that it would be a good thing for me to do, and I trust my doctor. Fact: Gum disease can lead to pre-term labor and other problems. However, I have had this insane fear of going to the dentist. I didn't have this fear as a child necessarily. As a tween, I had braces and thus had monthly appointments with the orthodontist. This led to a great dislike of all things dental, but not an irrational fear. I will admit that shortly after I graduated from high school and flew the coop, I didn't go to the dentist again for over a decade. I will not incriminate myself by saying exactly how many years! I will also admit that I'm not the best at flossing, but I know that I'm not alone on that one! Finally, I went to the dentist when I was pregnant with Sam. I told the dentist how long it had been since I had seen a dentist, and he was very impressed with the state of my teeth, despite my lack of dental visits. No cavities. No problems. (In an attempt to make myself feel better about admitting to rarely going to the dentist and to keep you from thinking less of me, let it be noted that in a college science class we did the old swab your mouth and see what's growing under the microscope experiment, and the professor complimented me saying that "I had the cleanest mouth with the least amount of bacterias" he had ever seen. Just so you know!)
Anyway, when Sam was a few months old, I received a terrible text from one of my good friends that she had lost her baby at 28 weeks. I remember just holding Sam and crying. It was such a devastating thing to happen. This is when my fear of dentists was planted deep within my heart. The last time that she really remembered feeling the baby move was when she was at the dentist. She doesn't know why her baby died, and it is highly unlikely that it had anything to do with the dentist, however, right then and there I vowed never to see a dentist when I was pregnant.
But then I kept reading about the importance of seeing the dentist, and my doctor recommended it, and then my dentist sent me a postcard, and I was starting to feel like maybe I should just do it. I realized that my fear had no foundation and was irrational, but it didn't make it any easier to make that appointment. Finally, when my dentist's office randomly called me the other day to see if I wanted to come in for a check-up, I figured it was a sign that I needed to overcome my fear and just do it. So, this morning I brushed my teeth, flossed for the first time in a long time, had my husband say a prayer with me to calm my nerves, and headed off to the dentist. And, happily, all went well. It was actually a pleasant visit and once again, the dentist said everything looked great. No cavities. No problems. He told me to come back after I have the baby so that he can do some X-rays just to be sure, but, otherwise, things looked good. And as I sit here typing this, Arliss is kicking away. All is well. I feel like I have accomplished a great triumph today, though who knows what will come along next that will have me shaking in my boots!

The Real Man Card--A Father's Day Tribute

I meant to post this yesterday, but, as usual, I'm a day late and a dollar short! I have the most amazing father's in my life. First, my dad is just the BEST! I have always been a daddy's girl and looked up to my dad so much. He has been my chauffeur, my coach, my therapist, my chef, my entertainer, my protector, and most of all, my best friend my entire life. I love my dad so much! And he is one awesome grandpa! Sam loves his Gampa Dee!

I am also grateful for my father-in-law. He is definitely one-of-a-kind. My mother-in-law says that we aren't allowed to go look at horses together because we tend to come home with a horse or two! We don't always see eye-to-eye on things, but I think that butting heads every once-in-awhile just makes our relationship stronger. He is a great man, and I'm glad to have him for a father-in-law. Sam also loves his Papa J! He is so lucky to have two amazing grandpas that are such a big part of his life. I am lucky to have two amazing fathers in my life who are always there for me and my family!

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my husband? He is absolutely amazing! He is and always has been the perfect man for me. He is a spectacular husband and a completely amazing father. I knew I had a good catch when I started dating him, but I don't think I realized even on our wedding day what kind of man I really got. He continues to astound me every day. In honor of my wonderful husband, I wrote the following:

The Real Man Card

My husband often jokes (usually when I make him hold my flowery purse in public) that he has lost his Man card. In fact, he says that he can't even remember what his Man card looks like because he handed it over so long ago. In case you don't know, the Man card is all about muscles, testosterone, "smells like gas and goes fast" manhood. But I don't think he lost his Man card, he just upgraded it for a Real Man card.
Because a Real Man works hard for his family. He goes to work early, and when he comes home, there's still more work for him to do at the house. A Real Man wants to provide for his family the best he can, and he still wants to be there for his family. He works hard to find that balance, but it often costs him sleep and time for himself.
A Real Man loves his wife and only has eyes for his wife. He tells her she's beautiful, even when it's questionable if she still owns make-up or a hair brush. When he could be hangin' out with the guys, he'd rather spend the evening cuddling with his wife. When she's having a bad day, a Real Man throws in a chick flick, wraps his arms around his wife, and cuddles her blues away. The Real Man listens to his wife's ramblings and supports her dreams. He never puts her down, but, instead, is always there with his strong arms to lift her up and support her through good times and bad.
A Real Man can perform an expert pedicure on his wife when she's too pregnant to reach her toes. He rubs her back, even when his own muscles are tired and sore. He puts up with her pillow-tourage that crowds the bed each night, and he has learned to sleep with half of his body hanging off of the bed. The Real Man learns to make gourmet crepes because that's what his wife is craving. The Real Man can also braid hair, clean the house, and run a bubble bath at a moment's notice.
The Real Man still romances his wife no matter how many years they've been together. He still holds her hand and puts his arm around her in public. And he's still one mighty fine kisser. The Real Man is sexy to the core.
The Real Man still likes a fight every now and then, but it's usually protecting those he loves. The Real Man watches his temper and doesn't even get as mad as he used to when some idiot cuts him off on the freeway, especially when the family is in the car. The Real Man still likes adventure, but also realizes that the greatest adventure is being there for his family. The Real Man spends the money that would have gone toward some cool Jeep parts, or whatever else he's been eyeing, on a new yard for his children.
A Real Man isn't afraid to cry when he says good-bye to his dog or when he says hello to his newborn son. He can be tough and tender at the same time. And a Real Man doesn't mind mascara marks on his shoulder from his weepy wife. He's just always there with a shoulder to cry on.
The Real Man is an example to his children. He tries to watch his mouth, and to do things that will teach his son to grow up to be a Real Man. The Real Man sacrifices so much for his family. The Real Man changes poopy diapers and kisses booboos. He knows the words to all of his son's favorite songs...he can sing Skidamarink, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Pat-a-Cake for hours on end. The Real Man isn't embarrassed to sing a silly song, make a funny face, or do a crazy dance to cheer up his little boy. The Real Man takes his son and the dog on a walk early Sunday mornings, so that mommy can sleep in. The Real Man makes sure his wife and children know every day through his words and actions that he loves them more than anything else.
The Real Man is a husband, a father, and a friend. He is always putting others before himself. He loves God, and honors Him in the service and love that he gives to all those around him.

Come to think of it, not only does my husband now carry the Real Man card, I'm pretty sure it's the platinum edition! In fact, he has VIP status!

And, besides, Honey--what did the Man card get you anyway besides an arm ornament now and then, a handful of big boy toys, and a wild weekend here and there? Life is much better now! =)

My Real Man and my Lil' Man

**Nic read this over and says that I fibbed a little. He says that he still gets mad at the idiot who cuts him off in traffic. I told him that I said "as mad as he used to" and "especially with the family in the car". I know that he's not perfect, but he sure tries hard, and he's close enough for me! =)

Girl's Weekend Secrets Revealed...

What happens on girl's weekend, stays on girl's weekend...well, until it comes to this blog where I tend to reveal all! =)
Last year, I really wanted to go to Tuacahn in St. George, UT, and so I got my GF's together, and we hit the town. We had such a great time that we decided to make it a yearly tradition, a pilgrimage, if you will, to our feminine Mecca. Well, this year, we included some guys in our trip. This year Tuacahn is showing The Little Mermaid. The Little Mermaid is one of my dad's favorite Disney cartoons, so we decided to invite him to come along. And then we invited my uncle Allen so that my dad wouldn't be the only guy there. Then Felicia's dad really wanted to come, and then somehow Felicia talked my brother into coming. And of course, Sam came along. So we ended up having fourteen people on this trip: My amazing in-laws, Carol Lee, Holly, Heidi, and Elivania; my soon-to-be sister-in-law, Felicia, and her parents; my mom, dad, sister, and brother; my Uncle Allen and Aunt Suzy; and Sam and me. We were quite the mob!
We drove up Thursday afternoon. Usually it's about a four hour drive, but my uncle and dad joked that it took us seven hours with all the food breaks and potty breaks! We had a fun drive together though, chatting the whole way. Last year, we all stayed at the same hotel. This year we were spread out in three different condos. Next year I think we will definitely try to be in the same place again. We just didn't all hang out together like we did last year. But we had so much fun. We had dinner that evening at Texas Roadhouse (one of my favorite steak places). Sam ate three or four rolls and an entire half of a sweet potato (we would learn the next day that that was probably not a great idea...). Then we went back to our condos, and we watched a movie at our condo. Carol Lee, Holly, Heidi, Elivania, Amanda, Sam, and me all stayed in one condo. Amanda and Jason both had class that night so they didn't show up until about two in the morning. Felicia and Jason crashed at our condo Thursday night since they got in so late. I felt bad for Amanda and Felicia because they had to share a room with me, and between having a cold and being pregnant, I can out snore a foghorn! (Nic says my snoring in cute, but I think he only says that because he is insanely terrified of me when I'm pregnant).
The next morning (Friday), I got up when Sam got up (babies/toddlers don't know the sleep in on vacation rule!) and needed to run to the grocery store to buy some things for breakfast. Nanny Manda was also up, so she took care of Sam, while I jumped into my brother's car to run to the store. Well, it didn't go quite as smoothly as I had hoped it would. First, I couldn't figure out how to get the car unlocked and then the car is manual. I know how to drive a stick shift, so I didn't think this would be a problem. Wrong! I could not figure out how to reverse for the life of me. I would later learn that in this particular car, there is a little button on the shifter that you push for reverse. I had never heard of such things! I had to reverse to get out of the parking spot, so I ended up improvising. There was a slight incline into a ditch and an empty parking spot next to the car so I would roll back in neutral until the car stopped in the ditch and then pull forward and then roll back and then pull forward until I finally got the car turned enough that I could pull out of the spot going forward. And then I made sure not to park in any way that I would have to reverse again! My sister couldn't figure out why it took me so long to just run to the grocery store!
We spent most of the day lounging around and shopping. You cannot have a successful girl's weekend without shopping! I bought some summer clothes for Sam and a few adorable outfits for little Arliss. I also found a cute shirt that hopefully won't be too stretched out to wear after I have the baby. Amanda, Felicia, and I got matching sister bracelets (GF's need to have matching jewelry, it's a rule!) and the highlight for me was the cinnamon and white chocolate caramel apples that we purchased and devoured. My dad and uncle Allen weren't too keen on the shopping part of the trip. We thought they had dropped us off and went to do their own thing, but apparently they just sat in the parking lot for a couple of hours. Silly boys!
Oh, before we went shopping, we went to the St. George LDS temple just to walk around the grounds and go to the visitor's center. It was so pretty! And we got some adorable pictures of Sam!





After the temple and shopping, Amanda, Jason, Felicia, Sam, and I went back to the condo and went swimming in the outdoor pool. When we first went to get into the pool, we all realized what land-lovers we are. It wasn't a heated pool, so, to us, it was freezing! Probably most people who live in St. George, or hot places like that, appreciate a nice, chilly pool. Not us! Sam was the only one who didn't seem to mind it that much. It was weird to me to be cold in the water and hot when I got out of the water. Usually, it is the other way around. But we had fun splashing for a little bit...until our lips turned blue!

That evening was the big show. Part of the tradition, is that I make these gift bags for everyone. Last year we wore tiaras to the show. This year, since it was the Little Mermaid, I decided to go with a tropical theme. All the girls got a flower lei and a flower clip for their hair. The guys also got flower leis, and they came really close to getting seashell bras (I changed my mind last minute, unfortunately!). People kept commenting on our leis at the show. It was so much fun! We ate a delicious 'tropical' dinner at Tuacahn. It was really yummy! After dinner, when we were about to do group pictures, Sam had the first diaper blow out that he's had in a long time (this was due to the copious amounts of sweet potato the night before). But the show had to go on, so if in our group pictures, we all have funny looks, it's because Sam had a funny smell.
For the first time, Tuacahn offered a daycare, so after dinner, and after getting him cleaned up, Sam was off to daycare. Nanny Manda took Sam to daycare with me, and she was so cute. She was so concerned about everything. Have they done a background check on these people? Are they CPR certified? Will they provide wholesome activities? Etc. We dropped Sam off, and he didn't even say good-bye. He just started playing, and we were dismissed. They gave us a pager, like what you get at a restaurant when waiting for a table, and told us it would go off if there were any problems. As we were walking away, I looked over at Amanda and she was crying. It was her first time dropping Sam off somewhere! We decided to use the restroom before the show started, and as we were walking into the restroom, I was sternly saying, "You can't make a pregnant woman cry! Don't talk to me! Don't even look at me!" These women in the restroom were looking at me angrily because they just caught the tail end of what I was saying, and all they could see was this mean lady and a young girl in tears following after her. We still laugh about that!

The show was amazing. It was crazy what they pulled off with the special effects. At different points, the stage was covered in water, and for the underwater scenes, they had a screen of water that would come down and they could project images onto the water. Mind you, this was accomplished in an outdoor amphitheater in the middle of the desert! The actors did a fabulous job. Apparently, it was their first official run through with costumes and all the special effects because the dress rehearsal had been cancelled due to weather. The costumes were beautiful, and the production, as a whole, was creative and well-done. When I ordered the tickets, the show was almost sold out, so we could have got all of our group together on the very last row, or we could spread out in small groups in the best seats possible. I went with the second option. My in-laws were on the very first row, and apparently got a little wet and chilled through out the production. My mother-in-law even had a golden cup land in her lap when King Triton blew up Ariel's human stuff collection! I would have kept it as a souvenir, but she gave it back. =) After the show, following tradition, we stayed and took pictures with the cast. The boys were all done and ready to go, but tradition had to be maintained! We had a great time!






Saturday we were thinking of maybe going to Zion's National Park, but, instead, just headed home. We were all pretty much worn out from our adventures. Even Sam slept in until nine that morning, which is the latest he's ever slept! It took me a week just to recover! All in all, it was a great time. Next year, though, I think we'll go back to just the girls. The boys just couldn't keep up with all the shopping, matching accessories, and giggling. And we couldn't tell stories about them with them there! =) And I think this was Sam's last year. Next year, he can hang out with daddy. Maybe little Arliss will hang out with daddy too. We'll see!
So next year, it's 'off to see the wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz'!

Memorial Day Weekend

We had quite the adventure for Memorial Day weekend. Let's just call this adventure 'Our Redneck Vacation'! As you read on, you'll see why! =) On Thursday we went and picked up a rental trailer that Nic found on the internet. It was at a great price, and we didn't trust the weather to risk sleeping in a tent (and it's a good thing we didn't!). We affectionately called our trailer the 'Ghetto Trailer.' It was an old trailer but in excellent repair and very clean. Then Friday we packed up our Ghetto Trailer (home-sweet-home), and headed out to the middle of nowhere to go camping with Nic's side of the family. I don't know if it's just me nesting, but now I want a trailer of my own, even an old, ghetto trailer will do! As I was packing up the trailer, I was thinking how nice it would be to have our own trailer with our own camping dishes, blankets, and camping stuff already packed and ready. I love camping!

(The Ghetto Trailer)

Anyway, we didn't get to camp until late, so pretty much we just ate some warmed up dinner and then went to bed. I wondered how Sam would do sleeping in a trailer and camping. He loved it! Sam went right to sleep. Gus, however, had a hard time the first night. He cried most of the night and ran back and forth. Some time in the middle of the night, Gus needed to go out, and since I also needed the potty, I got up and let him out. I was standing outside watching him, when suddenly Gus just disappeared. It was dark and Gus is black, so it was hard to see if he was close or had run off. I half-whispered/called for him, but he wasn't coming back. So I went back into the trailer and woke Nic up. I was a little worried because Gus had never been camping before (he's kind of a city-dog). Sam had given us all a cold, so before bed, I had drugged everyone up with cold medicine. So waking Nic up was a little difficult. Finally, I shook him awake. Here's our conversation:
Me: Gus is outside but I don't know where he is. I need you to whistle for him.
Nic: Let me see if I've got this straight. Gus is outside and you don't where he is. And we need to whistle for him?
Me: Yes.
Nic: Do you want to do it, or do you want me to do it?
Me (in my thoughts): I just thought I would wake you up to come watch me whistle for the dog. It's going to be that spectacular.
Me (aloud): I don't know how to whistle, you know.
Nic: Oh.
Finally, a few minutes later, Nic gets up, whistles for the dog, and Gus comes trotting right back.

Saturday, we went for a walk, Sam and Nic shot Sam's BB gun, we went digging for trilobites, we ate good food, and we hung out and played games. We had a lot of fun. We discovered that Sam loves rocks. He had fun just finding and collecting rocks. It was cute too when we were digging for trilobites, Sam gathered all these rocks and made a little rock nest. He wanted to bring all of the rocks home! Gus was in dog heaven too. He loved the open space. He just ran and ran and ran. That night, he slept really well! And, let it be forever noted, that after a long grueling game of Monopoly, a little, country girl (moi!) won! Let it also be noted that with just some property on ghetto row and some property down south, I beat my husband with the MBA and a double degree in accounting and finance! =) Also, during lunch I almost mooned all of my in-laws. I had just sat down to eat my delectable hotdog when I felt a pinching on my thigh. At first, I just thought I had a sticker or something in my pants but then it started to hurt worse and burn. I jumped up, almost pulled down my pants, but then decided it would be more appropriate to go into the trailer. Once I was in the trailer, I discovered a little red fire ant in my britches who gave me a pretty good bite. 'Ants in my pants' has a whole new meaning to me now!

(Shooting Sam's BB gun; They're doing their tough look...)

(Out on a walk).

(Digging for trilobites).

Sunday we woke up to giant, fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky. I was very glad not to be in a tent at that point! We didn't let a little cold weather and snow get in the way of our adventures, however. We decided to go for a little drive (along the way we picked up some hitchhikers even!), and went to Lehman cave. We took a tour of the cave which was really neat. I haven't been into a cave since I was a little girl. Sam seemed to really enjoy it too. One of the highlights was having a family picnic in this little cabin by Lehman cave. After that we went back to camp and played games. Let it be noted, again, that I won both Phase 10 and Pirates of the Caribbean Life! I was on a winning streak! Let it be noted that such luck will never happen again.

(This is the cabin where we ate lunch. Notice the lovely summer weather!)

(Doing lunch pioneer-style!)


Monday we mostly just packed up and headed home. By that time, Nic and I had developed a really good cold, and so we came home and just crashed. But despite the weather and being sick, we had so much fun!

(Just hanging out).

(Our wonderful chef--Uncle Steve).

(Catching tadpoles. The cousins took some home, but not poor Sam!)

Who needs Disneyland when you can have this much fun out in the middle of nowhere?!