Thursday's Random Thoughts

Welcome to this week's installment of my completely strange and random thoughts. Prepare to be enlightened! ;)
I just read on foxnews.com that some hackers cracked into a Texas road sign and warned "Zombies Ahead". I think that's HILARIOUS! Can you imagine driving down the interstate and seeing that warning flashing above? LOVE IT!

Riverdance is coming to an end. I can't believe it...Riverdance. Haven't they been around forever? Kind of sad. If you have never seen a Riverdance show, you really are missing out. It's pretty incredible. Channing's boss gave us tickets about six years ago, and we both enjoyed the show...and that's saying a lot. We're not really "go to ballet or dance show" kind of people.

I am ready to buy a cow. Seriously. We spend a fortune on organic milk every week. We hardly ever drink milk, but we use it for cereal and sometimes for cooking. Regardless, we probably go through at least two gallons a week. That adds up. We don't have a car payment. We have a milk payment.

Yeah, so I was paid a nice compliment at Wal Mart this week. I ran into a mom from Tristan's former baseball team, and she was talking about how she just had her baby a month ago. She was stressing about her weight because she still has "five pounds to lose"...whatev! Ok, so we were pregnant with our first boys together and were in the same Sunday school class at church. She literally (no exaggeration) gained 12 pounds in that pregnancy. Well, I gained 45, so there you go. Ok, back to Wal Mart. So she says to me, "How did you lose your weight? Did it take you a while? You got so tiny. I tell myself, YOU were REALLY big, so if you can lose it, I can too." Alrighty then. Thank you so much. Now I'm going to go home and cry. Thanks, lady.

On Facebook, some friends and I did a random list of 25 things about ourselves. Much like my list of seven on here, just longer. It was so much fun reading and being reminded of things about my sweet friends. I think it's been one of my favorite activities lately. I have some of the greatest friends on the planet. My friends from college, I miss so much. I wish I could see you girls more!!! Love you all!

I am super pumped that "Lost" has come back. I have missed it so!

Those of you who run during your pregnancies...how in the world do you do it?! Ok so picture me at the gym on Tuesday. I had just done some time on the elliptical and had headed over to the treadmill. I was bored with my walk and thought I would pick up the pace and run. I must say, quite embarrassing. I had to stop seconds shy of two minutes. Why, you might ask? It was so painful. The bottom of my stomach was in agony. Do you guys wear support belts or something? I don't think I'll be trying that again.

I know I've mentioned in the past my confusion over the people who talk on their cell phones during their entire workouts at the gym. I admit, I still don't get it. I know, I know...it helps the time pass (I'm probably secretly jealous that I would be too out of breath to talk). I can kind of understand that. Thing is, if you're going to talk on the phone, is it necessary to speak as if you're speaking to a person completely across a football field? Brandi, you said you and Shane have a loud talker, well we have one too. I was on the treadmill the other day, with my Britney playing pretty loud I must say, and I could still hear this woman beside me yelling into her phone...for like 20 minutes! So distracting. I don't dig the loud talkers. :)

Remember when Pauly Shore was funny? I was flipping through channels last night and came across "Jury Duty". I watched it for two quick minutes. That was all I could handle. It was like torture watching it. How could I ever think he was so funny?

Someone I know (I promise it wasn't me) told me that once while she was shopping at Hallmark for a card, she accidentally passed gas. She said it was loud and that there was another woman on the aisle with her. I asked her what she did, and she said she just didn't say or do anything. She just pretended like it didn't happen. Can you imagine? That is hilarious! Has that ever happened to you? Have you been the gas passer or the gas hearer? I have heard someone do that before and am not very good at stifling my laughter.

I have a friend who said that she was super gassy during the delivery of her first child. What is so hilarious is that she said that at one point, her husband started gagging from the smell. The nurse had to stop tending to her and tend to her husband. She said the nurse gave him some kind of salt pack or something to hide the smell. Isn't that hilarious? She thought it was hilarious, and I do too! Ha! The stories of childbirth...priceless!

If you haven't figured it out, I think gas stuff is funny. I get totally grossed out by loud burps, though. I am often so thankful that my husband isn't one of those men who goes around burping. Seriously, I think I would throw up.

Ok, that's all I've got for this week. How about you? Any random thoughts to share? If so, please leave them in my comments. They make my day!

41 Seconds and a MUST SEE

I saw this on Fox News last night and really struck me. Check it out:



I don't know if you've taken the time or have had the chance to check out the official White House website, but I encourage you to do so. Some of President Obama's plans are incredibly destructive. This was taken from our president's agenda, "He has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority in his Adminstration. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case."

That means, my friends, that if President Obama gets his way, and Roe v. Wade is upheld, all abortion laws go out the window. So if a 13 year old girl wants to have an abortion, she can do so with NO parental consent. Women and children (a 13 year old girl is a child) can go for an abortion, and no one has to explain the process, the negative ramifications, the fact that they are killing their children...nothing. They have to explain nothing. They don't have to offer alternatives. They can simply go in, take out the child, and that's that.
That also means that we will see more late term abortions.

Listen, I support and pray for my president; however, I cannot support this. As you can see from the you tube video, many would have suggested his mother abort him. Can you imagine? Stand up for those who can not speak for themselves. Pray for President Obama. Pray that he will be convicted and will choose life. Contact your local representatives. Sign the petitions that come your way. Make a difference.

Thanks, everyone. I am so passionate about this, especially about young girls doing something that they may forever regret. I am passionate about keeping late-term abortions from happening. To me, it is no different than a young teenage mother having her child and putting it in a dumpster. Many of these late-term abortions have babies who could have survived outside the womb when the abortions were performed.

Ok, that's it. I will say no more. President Obama, I'm so sure you read my blog, I am praying for you and your beautiful family, and I appreciate your service to our country. I pray that God will lead and guide you in truth and justice. I pray that your God-given convictions will lead you as you govern our country.

I Got Tagged, So Here Goes...

I was just tagged by my sweet friend, Mandy, and now, I get to tell you 7 random things about myself. But, first, let me tell you about my friend, Mandy. She is an incredible mother of five boys. I am always amazed at all that she is able to accomplish given all that she has on her plate. She's a fabulous photographer, a super patient mom, an encouraging friend, and a godly woman. Always fun to be around, Mandy is someone you love to have around. Oh, and did I mention that she does NOT look like she's had one child, let alone five! NO FAIR! :)
Okay, here goes...

1. In college I worked for intramural sports. It was a great job for me because I got to see tons of friends on a daily basis yet didn't actually have to play the sports. I'm not the most gifted athlete, so it always gave me an "out". I always longed to hang out with my friends on the sidelines and cheer for my sorority or friends' teams. Couldn't do that, though, it was against the rules. Believe me, I tested it and got into trouble.

2. I don't like to stay by myself. I'm such a chicken. Channing rarely has to leave town overnight, and I am SO glad. I would hate having to sleep by myself regularly. It's hard to get quality rest with my tv on. ;)

3. I've been told that when people first meet me, I seem kind of snobby. I promise I'm not. I'm just shy around people I don't know. I struggle making conversation with people I don't know. It's a great flaw that I SO wish would just totally disappear.

4. I work out to Britney Spears music; not the nasty songs, songs like "Piece of Me", "Circus", "Womanizer". I know, I know. My friend, Ashley, makes fun of me for it, but I think it's good for working out. Plus, I figure if she can look that good after all that she's been through, I have some extra motivation.

5. Before I had kids, I was a blonde. I SO miss being blonde, and whenever I see old pictures, I miss it the most. Thing is, it just isn't in the budget. Kids come first, so most times, I look like a bum. I guess I worry more about how they look than myself. Just know, though, that deep inside, I desire to look good. I'm not letting myself go on purpose. :)

6. I struggle with change. I cry when shows end (not like at the end of episode, but at the end of the series). Even if I am not able to watch the shows regularly, I hate to say goodbye. I cry when friends move away, even if I don't get to see them much. I cried when Bush left office because it's a big change. I struggle with change. Next year when Tristan starts school, I'll probably be a complete basket case.

7. I LOVE cucumbers. Seriously, since I've been pregnant, I'm even more addicted than usual. To me, they taste like bland watermelon. LOVE THEM! I totally don't understand how anyone could ruin a perfectly good cucumber with salt, though. Totally befuddles me. :)

8. (I cheated and added an 8th) During labor, I wear socks because I don't want my feet in my doctor's face. I don't know if it's more because I don't like the appearance of my feet or that if I were a doctor, I wouldn't want someone's bare noodle piggies in my face. Don't know, but with both boys, I wore socks. I totally plan to do it with this one too.

Okay, folks that's all. I tag Leisha, Holly, and Michelle. :)

What is Going On Here?

For some reason, I don't know if they have a pact or something, but one of our three children (dog included) wakes us up every night. It's been like this for at least three weeks. They usually take turns. Two nights ago, it was Tristan. Last night, it was Asher. Nights before that, it was our dog, Flipper. What is going on?!? I mean, I'm prepared to be woken up every night once this baby is born, but with an almost five year old? An almost two year old? A dog who is eight?!? What in the world???

I'm ready for some peaceful sleep. Asher's room floor is no Serta, I'll tell you that. I was in such a deep sleep last night when he was crying, that his cry was incorporated into my dream, and I didn't realize it was real until I felt Channing get up. Channing said he went into the room, and Asher was standing in the corner of his crib...LAUGHING! He was ready to get up and play...at THREE IN THE MORNING! What in the world?!

I think Sundays mess him up because he's in church when he's usually napping, and instead of napping at 12, he has to wait until 2:30. That doesn't bode well for the rest of us who want to sleep peacefully on Sunday nights. :)

Oh well. This, too, shall pass. One day, I know I'll look back and miss these crazy random night wakings. For now, though, I'm a mama who is working hard on keeping in shape. I need to go to the gym, but I'm EXHAUSTED. Gonna go anyway, though. I need the workout.
My boys MUST SLEEP, I say! :)

How about you? How are you sleeping??? Hopefully better than Channing and me. :)

Will You Please...

...pray for this sweet family?

Prayers for Owen
(this is a link to her blog detailing what is going on)

I found out yesterday that one of my sorority sisters' baby needs our prayers. It was discovered that he has an inoperable brain tumor. He has already had one surgery to remove some of the fluid build-up on his brain. Currently the family is waiting on a doctor to review the case.

Please pray for this sweet sweet family. I cannot fathom watching one of my babies get sick. This is something that has been on my heart in recent weeks, and then to see a sweet friend dealing with it completely breaks my heart. However, according to James 5:15, "And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up", I have faith that little Owen will be healed. So I am asking you to join me and countless others in lifting little Owen, his family, and the doctors dealing with his case up in prayer. God hears us all!

Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.–Matthew 18:20

Thank you, and may God bless you and your family as you intercede for this one.

Thursday's Random Thoughts

OK, so I've been a terrible blogger lately. I just haven't really felt like sharing anything. You wouldn't want to hear it anyway. My husband and friends have had to hear enough of my complaints about my ever expanding belly, so I won't bore you with that. :) I am back, though, to share some of my most random thoughts from this week. Some are more profound than others. Here goes:



Since the biggest thing going on this week has been the Inauguration of President Obama, I'll first share some of my thoughts from Inauguration Day:

So President Bush and Obama hung out before and rode together to the Inauguration ceremony. I couldn't help but wonder what their conversations must have entailed. I mean, two men who have not had a lot of great things to say about each other, have to then hang out for a couple of hours. I think the conversation went something like this:
Bush: Yeah...well...you're taking over. Alright...good luck. You're going to need it.
Obama: Luck? I don't think so, George. My presidency is going to kick your presidency's butt.
Bush: Oh yeah? Just wait until you get in office. They may love you today, but give them time. They'll jump off your bandwagon too.
Obama: Not me, Bushy. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
I mean, what else could it have been? Politics are SO ugly. People bash each other to the public and then get together and smile like the words don't hurt. Makes absolutely no sense to me.

President Bush is officially gone. That makes me sad. I feel like he was, and has continued to be, treated with such great disrespect. Was he the greatest president ever? No, probably not. However, I believe he was a lot better than he got credit for. I agree with him, though, when he says that he believes that history will redeem him. I believe it will too. Until then, President Bush, I'm in your corner. Thank you for keeping us safe over the last several years. You and your wife are a class act. And I loved the black coat you wore on Inauguration Day. You looked quite handsome!

The motorcade is SO awesome. To see that band of cars going down the road is a sight to see. It's just really incredible...one of my favorite parts of Tuesday.

President Obama is officially our first African American president. I hope this will unite our country because some of the events I've seen since Tuesday have really turned me off. The Reverend who gave the benediction at the Inauguration was offensive. I felt that his words were offensive to those who are black, white, and Asian. Yes, I know that he was quoting words from a song, but I felt it was highly inappropriate. We're trying to draw people together, to unite them. We should not be creating more divides and pointing fingers at other races. I've heard many people try to justify his statements, and I just don't get it. To me, they were completely inappropriate.

Jay Z's rap "My President is Black" was also highly offensive. Look, I am incredibly proud that our country has finally seen past color and has elected an African American president. However, let us not lose sight that he is equally white as well. Shouldn't these comments made against white people be offensive to him? To his family? His mother, who raised him, was white. I just don't get it. How is it that people forget that?

In electing an African American president, I hope that we can now, in future elections, look past color and vote on the merit of a man. From now on, color shouldn't make a bit of difference. We should unite and stop all the offensiveness, silliness, bigotry, and racism that comes from all different races. It's time that we look at each other as Americans...not white, black, purple, green. We are Americans. That is what matters. That is the kind of country I want my children raised in.

I am hoping and praying that people will join me in prayer that Obama does not follow through on some of his big plans regarding abortion and stem cell research.

I was amazed at the amount of people at the Inauguration. It was astounding. I have never seen anything like it. I have never seen so many people in awe of a man the way they are with President Obama. There is some definite hero worship going on. Hopefully these people will continue to support him in his efforts to unite our country. I, for one, am praying often for him and his family. I pray that they will be kept safe and that God will fill him with wisdom for running our country. I sure can't imagine ever wanting that job. I am thankful, though, that there are those who are willing to take the reigns. :)

How great did the Obamas daughters look at the Inauguration? They looked absolutely beautiful! I thought they were the best dressed of the family. I loved their little J Crew double breasted coats. GORGEOUS!!!

Someone who should have gone shopping with the Obamas was Aretha Franklin. Yes, her voice was magical, beautiful, perfect...but that hat. Oh my! It was kind of scary. I don't think I've ever seen such a large bow before. It was definitely a scene stealer. Oh well. That's ok. Her voice makes up for her fashion choices.

While we're on the subject of Inauguration Day style...how about Katie Couric's new haircut? What did you think? I am not such a big fan. I like her hair longer, myself. Is it just me? I just think this new haircut is a little too "boy" and makes her look older. Katie, I want your hair back! :)

I am in awe of our country. I am proud that we have finally looked past color and elected our first African American president. Seeing those who worked so hard during the Civil Rights Movement cry as they welcomed their first black president was incredibly moving. It was something many probably never thought that they would see. I am so glad they did! I am proud of America for that...even if I differ from his politics.

Ok, enough of the Inauguration. You're probably over it just like I am. Ok moving on...

I was watching the Tyra show the other day...listen, I don't know why, I just was. I don't make a regular habit of it...Ok and she had some women on her show who were black but were bleaching their skin to make it lighter. Isn't that crazy?! What is it with both white and black. Many white people lay in tanning beds, go to tanning salons, and use tanning creams to make themselves darker. And there are black people who are bleaching their skin to get lighter. What is this about? God must be up in heaven shaking his head. Are we never pleased with ourselves?

So I am officially a big pregnant woman. My belly looks to be about the size of a woman who is 36 weeks pregnant. I, though, am not 36 weeks pregnant. I, my friends, am only 21 weeks pregnant. I was thinking about that as I was at the gym working out last week. When I thought of myself working out and how others must view me, I couldn't help but compare it to what people must think when they see someone washing their old rusted out car. I mean, what's the point? It's not going to look any better. It's all rusty. Yep, pretty sure people see an old rusty car when they see me at the gym. Sad, really.

Speaking of working out at the gym...when I'm on the treadmill or elliptical machine, I'll often watch the muted shows on the tvs. One thing I noticed the last time I was there, as there were like three different soap operas on, was that soap opera stars never go away. They simply switch soap operas. Seriously, back in the day I used to be a huge Days of Our Lives fan. I haven't watched it in a loooong time but noticed the other day that Shawn and Belle are on a different soap together (the actors who play them, anyway). Then I saw Austin on a different one. In all three soap operas, I saw stars from Days highlighting these other soaps. I guess that's how it works. You get tired of playing the demon- possessed crazy person on one and switch to another to play an obnoxious adulteress doctor. Yep, that makes total sense to me.

Do you have allergies? I don't have allergy issues, and I don't really take medicine, but if I did have allergies and if I did partake in much medicine, I would have to take Zyrtec. Why, you might ask? I have never seen anyone so excited about having allergies, "indoor and outdoor", as the lady on the Zyrtec commercial. Seriously, the woman is THRILLED that she has indoor AND outdoor allergies. She LOVES taking Zyrtec. I find that very interesting. I know lots of people with allergy problems but have never seen a single person so excited about it. Obviously, these people have not discovered Zyrtec. Hopefully they'll see the commercial soon. I mean, I thought the herpes people were excited about their predicament, but they have nothing on the Zyrtec lady.

Where do they find the dancing kids on "Yo Gabba Gabba"? Most of the poor kids look like they're having seizures when they dance...."My name is Chris, and I like to dance." And then the seizure starts. It's hysterical. I think the show picks these kids on purpose.

Ok, that's all I've got. How about you? You have any random thoughts to share. Don't be shy. Leave them in the comments section. It always make my day! Amy, loved yours last week!!!

Thursday's Random Thoughts...On Friday

Welcome to this week's addition of my random thoughts. As you can see, I'm a day behind. Thanks to Asher, my time has been monopolized by constant whines, cries, screams and tantrums. It has been a week!
Anyway, here is a list of some of my random thoughts this week, just random things that have popped into my mind. Some make sense, and some don't. Without further adieu, here they are:How is it that you can love someone SO very much, yet you can hardly stand to be around them? You consider selling them to the circus? Running away? That's how I've felt this week about Asher. He was sick on Monday and Tuesday and got totally spoiled. That made for a ROUGH rest of the week. My friend, Ashley, said he's in "sickness detox"...meaning he's detoxing from all the spoils he received the days he was sick. I'm ready for this detox to be O-V-E-R! The kid hasn't slept a full night in at least a week. AAAAAAAAAGH!!!

With temperatures super low the past few days (and tomorrow too, I think), I'm wondering if I should invest in a Snuggie. I mean, the commercial is ALWAYS on, and the people always look so happy in their Snuggies. No grumpiness, no feeling frigid, just pure bliss. The beginning of the commercial shows freezing upset people, but that disappears once they put on the Snuggie. Perhaps I should get one for me and one for Asher? Hmmm...something to think about. PLUS it's supposed to lower your heating bill. Interesting...

Ok, so I got back into the gym this week and am LOVING it! I didn't realize how much I missed it until I went back. I have so much to share about the gym, I don't know where to start. Let's start with going as a pregnant woman. When I go to the gym, my routine is to do weights first then cardio. Well, you should have seen the stares I was getting as I was doing weights. Whenever I would look at the concerned eyes, they would quickly look away. It was so funny! I was betting myself on how long it would take for someone to come ask me if what I was doing was safe. Hilarious!

So after I finished doing weights, I was stretching for my cardio. As I was stretching, a woman asked me how far along I was. I can't tell you just how much I wanted to say, "What? Me? I'm not pregnant." I didn't, though. Instead, I told her how far along I was. To that, she responded, "Whoa! You're out there for 19 weeks." Thank you, lady. Thanks, a lot. No, I didn't say that. I said, "Yeah, this is my third. I get really big with my pregnancies, though." Then she said, "Well, at least you're working out." Thanks, lady. You really made my day! And this came one day after someone told me how tiny I was. Does it count that the woman who told me I was tiny happens to own the children's boutique that I was visiting? Or that she didn't know I far along I was? Nah! I'm going to pretend not since I have NEVER heard how tiny I am while pregnant.

One of my favorite parts of going to the gym, aside from the workout, is people-watching. At the gym, you see all types of people: old, young, in shape, out of shape, those who talk on their cell phones the whole time, those who grunt and yell, those who wear their 80s workout leotards with pride, those who almost hurt themselves...all types. My favorite gym member yesterday was "treadmill lady". This lady was super tiny and appeared to be about my mom's age. She was on a treadmill that looked to be going about 100 miles per hour. She had it on a pretty steep incline and was having to hold onto the top of the treadmill to keep from falling off. Seriously, it looked like she was being dragged by a pack of starving rottweilers. I kept expecting her to go flying off the back. Her legs were so resistant to the speed and she was holding on for dear life. She got it done, though. Maybe that's how she stays so tiny.

I'm getting a little concerned about my little girl (the one in my tummy). She seems to be a bit competitive already. You see, when she starts kicking, I put my hand on my belly to feel it, and lots of times, she'll stop. However, this morning when I was holding Asher, she started kicking his back like crazy. I think she's already competing for attention. Asher better watch out. I don't think he realizes what he's in for.

I had a lot more to share, but I'm drawing a blank. So I guess this is all I'll share. I would love to read some of your random thoughts, though. If you've got some, PLEASE share. It would totally make my day...AND not to make you feel bad, but with the week I've had, I would love to have my day made. :) Ha!
Happy Friday, all!!!

Help Me Out Here, Please

Ok, I officially can no longer fit into any of my pre-pregnancy jeans/pants. The day I could no longer button my last pair was a sad, sad day. So now I'm on the hunt for some maternity jeans. I can't wear the ones I wore with Tristan because, well, they are waaaay out of style and quite embarrassing. With Asher, I borrowed some from a friend (who now lives in Panama), so that won't work. Now that I have to get some, I have no idea what kind to buy. This is where the "help, please" comes into play.

I've been looking online at maternity jeans, and Old Navy has some really good prices. Thing I don't know is if they are actually decent jeans. I mean, do they fit well? Do they look ok? Do they hold up? I need to find out from someone who has actually bought them because we don't have an Old Navy maternity here local. I'm so nervous to order jeans online without trying them on first.

I would love to get some super cool designer maternity jeans like Seven, Mama Black, Maternal America, or Juliet Dream, sadly, it's not in the budget. I think Channing would get a little upset if I came home with $100 or $200 maternity jeans. Or maybe he would make those jeans my entire wardrobe. Either way, not a good thing. :)

So, any advice on affordable maternity jeans? Old Navy, have you tried them? Motherhood....what did you think? Any specific things I should be looking for? What were your favorites? Least favs? Again, if your favorite pair was Citizens of Humanity...keep it to yourself. :)

Thanks, ladies!!!

Thursday's Random Thoughts

Welcome back to another weekly installment of my random thoughts. I took a couple of weeks off, and I'm sure it was tough for you to get by without knowing exactly what has been going on in my head. ;) So here goes:
In high school, I was way interested in serial killers. No, not like those crazies who fall in love with them and want to marry them. I was just very intrigued by how their minds worked. I really wanted to study criminology in college and become a criminologist so that I could see what made these guys tick. My mom talked me out of it. She said I wouldn't want to be pregnant and going into prisons to interview these murderers. I think she was right. Definitely don't think it was the correct career path for me.

Until last year (technically 2007), I didn't know the correct words to "Jingle Bells". When the chorus says "in a one horse open sleigh", I always sang "in a one horse hopin' sleigh". I didn't understand the meaning, but it sounded right to me. Credit my father-in-law with correcting me on that one.

You know, I have absolutely no idea how much a stamp costs these days. Every time I have to run in to get a stamp, I take $.50 and hope it's enough. It always is. I'm guessing it's 40 something cents.

My husband, who I love dearly, has never seen anything. When I say that, I mean movies. Through the years, I have discovered that my husband must have never watched movies or tv growing up (not necessarily a bad thing, just strange considering the movies he's never seen). Let me give you some of the more common ones: Grease, Ghost, The WIZARD OF OZ (what?!?), Goonies, The Outsiders... the list goes on. Can you believe it? Who has never seen Grease or The Wizard of Oz??? Chang, I love you anyway!

So during the ultrasound yesterday, my ultrasound tech was amazed at how big our baby girl is. As she was measuring, before we found out the gender, she asked me how big my boys were. I told her 8 lb 10 oz and 9 lb. She asked me if I had a history of gestational diabetes, and I told her I didn't. I just have big babies. Well, apparently we're having an amazon woman. This baby is already 10 oz and in the 95th percentile for size. Nice, right? The tech said, "But you're so small..." Yep, so be expecting another HUGE belly.

Old Wives Tales: Never put much stock into them until this pregnancy. SO many of them were right on target. Let me share with you my quiz results at 72% change I am having a girl:
You are carrying the extra weight out front, so it's a boy.
The hair on your legs is not growing any faster during your preganacy, so it's a girl.
Boys are carried low. You are going to have a boy.
Sleeping in a bed with your pillow to the south indicates that you will be having a girl.
Your feet are not colder than they were before pregnancy. You are having a girl.
You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread. You are having a girl.
Dad-to-be hasn't been gaining weight along with Mom-to-be, so it will be a girl.
The maternal grandmother doesn't have gray hair (dyed or natural), so a girl will be born.
You had morning sickness early in pregnancy, so you are expecting a girl.
You are not looking particularly good during pregnancy. Therefore, it must be a girl, because girls steal their mother's looks. This one is one of the most dramatic for me. My skin has been breaking out, and it never did that before. I look terrible most of the time. It may not be right for most, but this was the biggest change in pregnancies for me.
Your chest development has been quite dramatic during pregnancy. You should expect a girl. In all fairness, with all pregnancies, my chest gets pretty large. This time, I'm about the same size but grew slower.
Since the sum of the mother's age at conception and the number of the month of conception is an odd number, it will be a girl. The Chinese Lunar Calendar also predicted girl.
You are craving sweets, which means that it is a girl.
Your nose hasn't changed during pregnancy, which indicates a girl.
You have been craving fruits, so it is a girl. LIKE CRAZY!!!
Your baby's heart rate is 140 or more beats per minute, so it's a girl. 145 to be exact!
You must have orange juice every day, so it's a girl.
You are not having headaches, so it's a girl.
Your belly looks like a basketball, so it's a boy. I guess. I can't really tell.
You use the handle, so it's a boy. This is talking about a mug. I'm not really sure on this one. I don't know what I do. I just guessed.

So the Old Wives Tales were pretty accurate. Amazing!

I am trying really hard not to steal Channing's thunder in naming this baby. I named both our boys and already have two names I'm trying to decide between for this one. I'm waiting, though, because I want to give Channing an chance to think of something. Most names he's given me, I haven't particularly liked, but I'm still giving him a chance. He had his favorite name picked out, but our sweet friends, Jon and Karen, are using it for their precious little girl (they had no idea that we ever liked that name). I think he's still in mourning. :) We never thought we would have a girl, so it didn't really matter. I LOVE the name, but haven't been able to picture myself with an Ansley for a long time. I think Ansley will fit perfectly in the Mitchell family. I love it, and I love them!!! :) I have some other ideas up my sleeve...two names that are really uncommon. We'll see what happens. :):):)

It's amazing how God works. When we were pregnant with boys, and didn't know the gender, we easily picked out boys names and struggled with girls names. This time, while pregnant with a girl, we have a few girls names and ZERO boys names. WEIRD and COOL!

Ok, so that's all I've got for today. I'm going pretty light this week. I've gotta get myself back in the flow. I had TONS of thoughts going on the past couple of weeks that I wanted to write about, but of course, I've forgotten what they are. How about you? Any random thoughts you want to share. You know they make my day!

We Are Having a...

We are SO excited and can't wait to meet our sweet baby girl!!! It is going to be a new challenge for us...one we're super excited but nervous about. Boys are just so easy. I'm up for the challenge, though. I can't wait to start shopping!!!

Thanks for all of you and your encouraging comments. We are beyond thrilled!!! I'm sure the fear will set in later. ;)

Guess I'll be changing the name of my blog soon. A challenge in itself. :)

When we told my mom, she didn't believe us. We had to tell her over and over that we weren't kidding. SO funny! I guess she didn't think we could ever make anything but boys...kind of like I always thought.

I will say, many of the old wives' tales have proven true on for me. This pregnancy has been very different than my other two, but since I wasn't vomiting sick, I convinced myself (against my strong hunch otherwise), that this was a boy. Should have totally listened to the old wives' tales. More on that tomorrow during my Random Thoughts.

Oh, and Tristan is getting just what he wanted. When asked, he preferred a baby sister. He thought the ultrasound today was so cool, especially the stuff they squirted on my belly. I guess he's pretty easy to please. :)

So anyway...that's our big news, and we are THRILLED! I don't regret finding out AT ALL! What a blessing!!!

The Decision Is...

...I'm 90% sure we're going to find out on Wednesday, this Wednesday, if we're having a boy or a girl. I have debated and debated whether or not to find out (since we didn't find out with the first two), but finally, I think curiosity and the need to plan, has won out. I've done the surprise thing twice, and LOVED IT, but I am so curious to see what it's like to know what I'm having. That is one experience I have yet to...well, experience.

So this time, I am going to step out of my comfort zone (and Channing's...he's pretty reluctant) and find out what we're having. Maybe it will help us settle on a name. With our first two, we had boys names picked out years in advance. We had lots of trouble settling on girls names. This time, though, we don't have a solid name for either. We are closer to settling on a girl's name than a boy's, though.

On the subject of having a boy or a girl, most people assume that we are hoping for a girl. I hear it all the time...Don't you hope it's a girl? Are y'all trying for a girl? Stuff like that. Thing is, if I were being 100% honest, I would have to say that I'm kind of (selfishly) hoping it's another boy. You see, I've always envisioned myself as the mother of three boys. Don't get me wrong, I would love a little girl, it's just that the idea kind of freaks me out a bit. I know what to do with boys. I'm a boy kind of mom.

I love little girls, I just have a hard time envisioning myself with one. I mean, buying the clothes and dressing a little girl would be fun, but aside from that, I wouldn't have a clue what to do. Not only that, I worry about all the extra stuff that comes with little girls. Some little girls (of course, not all) can kind of be kind of...well...sassy. I was sassy, my sister was sassy, I know some sassy girls. I just don't know if I'm made to handle the sass, you know?

Then, there's the whole mother-daughter conflict thing. Most girls go through it with their moms, usually in the teenage years. I so don't want that. Of course, on the bright side of this, most girls end up being very close with their mothers in adulthood; definitely a plus.

Then there's the whole "dating thing". We plan to handle dating differently than most, and I can see a girl having more of a problem with it than a boy (of course, I could be wrong...I'm going from personal experience here).

Finally, I worry about the whole "marrying thing". With a boy, you can raise them to be leaders, to be good husbands. With a daughter, you have to trust that whoever she marries is going to be a good husband to her. That worries me (I know, like Channing reminds me...I have YEARS ahead of that, but my mind never stops churning).

If you are the parent of a daughter, please don't be offended. I mean NO offense AT ALL. I am just super nervous about the possibility of my comfort zone being shaken. If we are blessed with a little girl, we will be beyond thrilled. If we are blessed with a little boy, it'll be awesome too. Whatever the good Lord has decided to give us, we will gladly accept. I just can't wait to find out what that is!

What do you think? If you're the mother of a girl (or girls), does it freak you out that you could one day be the mother of a boy? If you are the mother of a boy (or boys), does it freak you out to think that you could one day be raising a little girl? Am I alone in this???

I'm Hooked

Before our trip to the mountains, I decided I needed to take some good books to read. I mean, the trip is long and the mountains can get a little monotonous. In choosing what to read, I knew I wanted something easy and fictional, something I wouldn't have to think about...pure entertainment. I had heard all the hype about the "Twilight" series, so I thought this trip would be the perfect time to check it out...to see if it lived up to all the hype. So before Christmas, I bought the first book, "Twilight". For Christmas, Channing gave me the third, "Eclipse". I was so excited and couldn't wait to hit the road so I could start reading. Problem was, I only had the first and the third books. I'd heard that most people read the books very quickly, so I sort of panicked about not having the second book, "New Moon".On the way to Highlands, I stopped at a couple of stores, but no one had the book. In Highlands, we called several bookstores in and around the town but everyone was sold out. Can you believe it?! This is one hot book. Fortunately, while we were in town shopping one day, I happened to stop at the local bookstore, and she had just received a shipment. As the owner of the store was retrieving a copy from her car, the man at the counter told me they had been turning people away all day, asking for that very same book. Needless to say, I was elated!
So I began reading, have read the first three (well, I lack about 10 pages in the last, "Eclipse"), and have got to get my hands on the fourth. I'm totally hooked.
So I ask you...have you read any of the books? What's your opinion? Are/were you as hooked as I am?