Save the waffles!

On Monday I threw up a lot. The last time I had a really bad day like that I was wearing the same outfit, white linen slacks and a black shirt. I decided that I must be having a girl and she is upset with me for wearing that outfit. White after Labor Day, a classic fashion faux pas. My morning sickness is getting worse and it has become all-the-time sickness. I have definitely had some good days. Sometimes I will wake up and feel almost normal again and I can enjoy a variety of foods throughout the day. But my sick days are getting worse and my tolerance for smells and tastes is on a rapid decline. I can't even look at certain foods (or think about them) without gagging. There is a bag of frozen chicken in the freezer that has been blocking the waffles. It happens to be right in front and it's the first thing you see when you open the freezer. It also happens to make me gag, so I have been avoiding the freezer like the plague. This morning I decided that this was it, I was going in for the waffles and the chicken was not going to stop me this time. I approached the freezer with caution, took a deep breath and made a single swoop for the waffles (with my eyes closed). It is safe to say that the waffles have been safely relocated to a secure area, away from the chicken.

I had my 8-week doctor appointment on Monday and everything is normal and looking good. I was surprised to see that I have gained six pounds! I asked my doctor if that was okay (it seems like a lot to me) and she said that some of it could be water weight. She said not to worry right now and they will keep an eye on it. My next appointment will be at the end of October when I am 12 weeks. I am particularly excited because we get to have an ultrasound!

7 week update

So something unusual happened to me this morning. I had a bad case of morning sickness and I threw up so hard that the blood vessels in my neck, face, and forehead burst! Has this happened to anyone else? I decided that I must be having a girl and she is upset with me for feeding her the junk foods I mentioned in my previous blog. Today's choice foods: strawberries, apples, applesauce, grapes, pb & j, cinnamon toast (hold the crust), cereal, and chocolate milk. Food no no's: Chinese, Mexican, chicken cacciatore, hot dogs, pork... I'll stop there. It's making me sick.

This pregnancy is really throwing me through a loop. I am different everyday. My likes and dislikes are different everyday. But one thing is for sure, this baby has really tickled my funny bone. Certain things, that ordinarily would not have been so funny, have become hilarious! I will get on giggle fits and laugh so hard that I cry. Even thinking about it has made me laugh.

Maybe you're only half pregnant...

Apparently there are three possible results you can get from a pregnancy test:
1. Pregnant
2. Not pregnant
3. Buy a better test

We found this out when I decided to take one two weeks ago (on Labor Day to be exact). I did purchase the $4 generic brand test as opposed to the $20 name brand test and the end result was #3. Although the directions were clear and simple, "+" if your pregnant, "-" if your not, my results were not. The horizontal line was hot pink, but the vertical line was very faint. Ryan's response, "Maybe you're only half pregnant."

So we did make a trip back to the store to buy the $20 test, with digital readout. Within 30 seconds of taking the test it said PREGNANT. I yelled, "RYAN," and ran into the room. We were both filled with excitement, shock, and disbelief. Ryan's other genius response, "Maybe if you leave it here for awhile, it will change." It didn't.

We have had a lot of fun telling our family and friends the good news. My parents are so excited to be grandparents (although my dad says he will not be called Grandpa, but rather Cool Dude) and my sisters are fighting over who is going to be the favorite aunt. Ryan's Algebra II classes are equally excited and have even offered some advice for me. His 4th period class recommended that I rub cocoa butter on my stomach to prevent stretch marks. Thanks guys, I'll keep that in mind.

Today I had my first doctor's appointment! I am six weeks and two days along, due on May 9. The appointment went well, except that I spent the first ten minutes throwing up in their bathroom. This has been my first case of morning sickness, but during the previous two weeks I have had a voracious appetite. I have been craving disgusting foods: hot dogs with mustard (all three were delicious!), White Castle hamburgers, bacon cheeseburgers, milkshakes, and shredded beef nachos. However, that's all gone out the window. Now I am enjoying ginger ale with a side of saltine crackers and a pedialyte frozen pop for dessert. The breakfast of champions!

Here is an official photo of me at 4 weeks.

Mr. Rees, Algebra II Teacher

Ryan's first day of school was yesterday, but not as a student! Ryan is officially a teacher at Stony Point High School. He teaches Algebra II for all his periods, with the exception of one period when he teaches Math Modeling. He opened his class by giving them a summary of what they will be learning this year. He proceeded by writing a topology proof on the white board. I wish I could have seen the looks on the kids' faces. Ryan said their eyes were so big that they were about to come out of their heads. He then asked how many of them were thoroughly confused, to which 100% of the class raised their hands. They were all relieved to hear that this is not what they would be learning this year, but maybe when they get to college. Ryan is going to be a great teacher!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

It all started with Robert's blog and then Kylene's blog. So I had to try it myself. Here are some of the results from hairmixer.com. Ten points to the person who can name all the celebrities.








Check out Ryan's new looks.



I just can't help playing on this website. There will be more pictures to come!

Who said Nordstrom is expensive?

I had a gift card for Nordstrom that I have been itching to spend (thanks Tess!). So today I decided to head over to the mall. I started upstairs in Nordstrom, where I parked, and made my way around the mall and back again. I had two other gift cards, to two other stores, that I also spent. On my way out, I decided to look downstairs at the baby stuff for my soon-to-be nephew. At first I questioned myself if I should spend any more money, but then I noticed a few racks of little boys clothes on sale and I found a cute baseball-themed tie. It was marked down from $16 to $5.90 and I thought that was a good deal. When I went to check out, the lady said, "Okay, that will be one cent." "What?" I said, feeling a little confused by what I thought I heard. "Yeah, one cent," she said. For some reason that tie was marked down to one cent! So I got the other tie too. Two ties for two cents, now that's a bargain! The two sales associates were even surprised by the markdown. The other people in line overheard us and one guy asked, "What rack were you shopping from?"

Here's the picture of the ties. Sorry Kristina, I guess this won't be a surprise when you open your baby gifts.

Cafe Blue

Living in Austin, we have been well acquainted with various lake-side dining experiences. But yesterday we discovered a hidden treasure right in our backyard! When looking for a restaurant online, I stumbled upon Cafe Blue. I was excited to see that it was so close to our house and right on Lake Travis, so we decided to try it. I didn't realize that we were only a few minutes away from the lake (Duh! I've been living here for seven years). I ordered the stuffed shrimp, which I highly recommend, and Ryan had the blackened chicken. The menu choices are limited, but the food was delicious! We liked it better than the Oasis and Iguana Grill (other Lake Travis restaurants). The food was a little pricier, but far better tasting and the crowd was definitely smaller and more laid-back. In fact, there was no wait to get in. In the pictures are: Shae (my lil sis), my dad, me, and Ryan.