What the eff Wednesday

I had no intention of checking my blog this morning because I had a busy morning at school but there are lots of things that are making me say What the eff?! and I need to write them down so I doesn't slip out.

This morning I was excited to grab jeans for our early release day at school, paired with a loose tank, since my students still don't know I'm prego. Loose tank #1.. stain on the front. Loose tank # 2.. too short. Loose tank # 3.. not loose anymore. What the eff?!

Last week I managed to not hit traffic to or from work every single day. This week.. I managed to find myself amidst all the lunatics who are texting and making their damn breakfast while driving and still have time to slow down to sneak a peek at the poor fool who doesn't know how to change a tire on the side of the road. What the eff?! Sidenote: I was once the poor fool on the side of the road and much to the dismay of my father and husband, still don't know how to change a flat. Still, keep it moving people.

We have state testing 4 out of 5 days this week. The one day we don't have testing, we have an early release day and our schedule is shot to shit. What the eff?!

I thought last night was my last grad class this semester. Apparently we are coming back for one more. The professor's consoling words? "At least you don't have a 200 question final." Um, no, that's because I'm not in med school or law school. Who gives a 200 question final? What the eff?!

I'm pretty sure I had a damn hot flash in class last night. My body is like an oven and baby needed 3 gallons of water last night. Thousands of dollars in tuition a year and we can't get a working AC? What the eff?!

I got a letter this morning about the status of my teaching license. You know, the one I renewed LAST JULY. Then I tried to log into the website and my account timed out because I used the wrong password. What the eff?!

Here's the real, shit in your hat and put it on your head cherry on top. I had a few extra minutes this morning so I stopped at Honey Dew for my healthy breakfast.. Mocha Madness Iced Coffee, apple juice, and sausage egg & cheese on a croissant. The woman was all confused that I wanted a cup with ice for my apple juice, so I became dead focused on the cup with ice. Remember, my body is an oven? I DROVE AWAY WITHOUT MY SANDWICH. I found out when I go to work, with no time to turn around and pick up the sandwich THAT I ALREADY PAID FOR. What the effin' eff?!

 

20 week bump date! Halfway there!

This week: We have MCAS at school and it is my last full week of the semester for grad school. I'm looking forward to things getting back to normal soon. We also get to go back on Friday for another ultrasound! Counting the days! :)

How far along? 20 weeks! Halfway through this pregnancy! I don't even know how that is possible!

Baby's size: Baby P is the size of a cantaloupe!

Total weight gain: Total of 3 pounds at 18 week appt. 

Maternity clothes? I ordered a couple of new tops & dresses from Old Navy and I have to say, I'm not super impressed. I'm pretty sure I need a ph.D to figure out how to get the nursing dress on and everything else is too long or too tight in all the wrong places. So sad. For now, I'm sticking with my regular pants & belly bands (which I also can't stand) and a few long maternity tops. No belly shirts for this mama!

Stretch marks: Nope! Still using BioOil mostly every night.

Sleep: Still okay. I'm getting used to my big ole' maternity pillow.

Best moment this week: Getting to see our little bean dancing around at our ultrasound!! I was completely in awe of the long legs kicking around all over the place! It was also really amazing to be holding Jeff's hand watching our baby move around!

What I miss: A margarita would be nice but other than that, I'm good!

Movement: Not really. Every once in a while, I think I feel something but then it's gone. I do feel better though after seeing my little munchkin movin' and shakin' all over the place at our ultrasound. I couldn't even believe how much movement I was seeing and not feeling!

Food cravings: I've been drinking huge glasses of Newman's Own Pink Lemonade. Can't stop, won't stop.

Food aversions: Back to the meat. It just feels weird when I chew it and I have to fight the urge to just open my mouth and let it fall out. I just don't eat it now :( 

Gender: Baby P was all over the place at our ultrasound so we go back for another on Friday! I can't even stand the wait!

Symptoms: My headaches are out of control this week. Seriously, every day. I'm sure 25 fifth graders getting close to summer break isn't helping, either.

Mood: Happy, happy, happy! I really love being pregnant!

Looking forward to: Our next ultrasound on Friday & big gender reveal on Sunday!!

Do you think Baby P is a boy or a girl? Let me know in the comments! 

Friday's Letters

I guess you could say I'm kinda skipping Day 3 of the May challenge because to be perfectly honest, not much makes me uncomfortable. I've had people walk in on me in the bathroom, lost my bathing suit top once at Hampton Beach, lost my bottoms in a lake, and have been involved in some really weird he said/she said parent arguments at meetings and nothing seems to make me flinch. Maybe when you work in a middle school you truly start to see it all and uncomfortable situations become the norm. Centipedes make me squirmish but not necessarily uncomfortable because once I beat them to death with my shoe, I can go on with my life. That's all. :)

On to the letters! Happy Friday y'all!

Dear Friday, hello lover! We have a great weekend planned and the weather is nice. Hallelujah!

Dear 93, thanks for taking it easy on me this week. Hell must have frozen over somewhere because traffic has only added 5 minutes to my commute every day. More time for me in the morning and family at night. Heaven.

Dear Honey Dew Donuts, thanks for coming up with the Mocha Madness iced coffee. Whosoever idea it was to mix iced coffee and chocolate milk together is a genius! It is all I have wanted every morning this week and it was glorious!

Dear Rosy, thanks for squeezing me in today! My roots are hella long thanks to my hair growing at an abnormally fast rate right now and I need some highlights something fierce.

Dear Princess, thanks for being so sweet last night. You kept my feet so perfectly warm while I slept and I know that's not normally your style.

Dear Baby P, you are all I can think about and all I can dream about. I fell even more in love with you last night, watching you kick your long legs all over the place! You sure didn't get that from me! I am so amazed that something so perfect could be growing inside of me. Next week, though, Mama needs you to be more cooperative so that we can see all your parts! Especially that precious face! Love you to the moon baby cakes!

Dearest hubby, I love you more and more when I think of what an amazing father you will be. It was so precious to watch your face during our ultrasound and to see how anxious you were to catch a glimpse of our sweet baby, even if you really didn't know what you were looking at. You're going to be the best daddy! Love you more than words!

Story of My Life

So I totally wanted to participate in the Blog Every Day in May challenge and clearly I failed Day 1. I have good reason, though. I had a bad day yesterday in the way that when you're pregnant and hormonal, a small chain of events that aren't going as planned can turn into an avalanche of problems that you don't know how to figure out without yelling and crying. Well, I didn't yell, but I wanted to. More about that later. Anyways, when I saw this challenge, I instantly knew I wanted to participate since I'm having a hard time thinking about anything other than baby. Can you blame me? I probably won't be posting every day but I think it's a fun thing to do. I still want to be able to document the milestones in my pregnancy and mundane things in my life with my husband, without having to come up with something else. Brain cells are lacking these days, too. I'm squishing the first two posts together because I think they're both fun and I don't want to miss out on anything fun going on in blog land. Can't do that!

So without further ado, or rambling, here is my story in 250 words or less.

I was born on November 12, 1985, to parents who are celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary this year. I am the oldest of four children, two boys and two girls, and I have a ‘twin cousin’ who is one of my bff’s. I grew up in a small city ten minutes north of Boston, where I lived until I was in college. I currently teach fifth grade in that same city. I come from a family that is loud and a bit crazy, with the thickest Boston accents you've ever heard. One of my favorite titles is Auntie. I absolutely treasure my college years with my roommates turned sisters turned bridesmaids who are turning into Aunties this year. I met my husband in college when we took Psychology together freshman year. It was at 8am and I hardly ever went on Fridays and when I did, I was usually still wearing my makeup from the night before. Jeff went to every class and thought I was a hot mess. I got a 4.0 and he got a 1.5. We started dating senior year of college, got engaged in December of 2009, bought a house in June of 2010, and got married on April 28, 2012. We got a puppy, Rocky, in June of 2012, much to the dismay of his almost 14 year old cat sister, my beloved Princess. We found out in January that we will become parents this September. Every day I get to do what I am passionate about, share my life with a man I love deeply, and with friends and family who are my rock and foundation. It’s a blessed life and my story is only beginning!

As for Day 2.. something I am good at... I truly believe that I am a good teacher. I love my kiddos with all my heart, even when they're driving me crazy. I always call them my kids and have been known to turn into a mama bear when someone overlooks one of their skills or needs. My degree in education was only a stepping stone to becoming a good teacher. I love watching "the light bulb go on" so to speak and I am just as proud, if not more, of their accomplishments as they are. I teach in the city and it is my passion. I love city kids and the rough around the edges attitude that they bring with them. Many of my kids have sad stories and tough upbringings but I love them even more for that. It brings out an added dimension that many times makes them work harder and more appreciative of their education and experiences. One of my greatest joys is when my former students, now in high school, visit me to share news of making the honor roll, or Varsity sports teams, or just to say hi. I love sharing my love for education with them and helping them understand that education is their key to a better life. Even though the profession is undermined constantly and it gets harder every day, I can't imagine ever doing anything else.

18/19 week Bumpdate!

This week: It was a crazy, busy week at work. I'm not sure if I have ever been more glad to see a Friday! I had no energy to blog so I'm combining weeks 18/19. We celebrated our first wedding anniversary this past weekend! It's so hard to believe that one year ago we were saying "I do" and now we are expecting our first baby. It is surreal in so many ways! 

How far along? Currently 19 weeks!

Baby's size: Baby P is the size of an mango!

Total weight gain: As of my 18 week appointment, I was finally up 3 pounds. I figured it would catch up sooner or later!

Maternity clothes? Just the same tops & dresses. I'm just trying to make the most of my current wardrobe, which is much easier now that the weather is warmer and I can wear dresses again. I've been pairing sundresses & beach dresses with leggings and it is pretty comfortable. I also wore two of my new maternity dresses this weekend and I don't know how that is supposed to take me through to 9 months.

Stretch marks: Nope! Still using BioOil every night.

Sleep: It's okay. I've been sore the past few mornings when I wake up.

Best moment this week: Celebrating our one year wedding anniversary.

What I miss: Standing up without rib/back pain.

Movement: I felt a few "pops", kind of like popcorn. I can't figure out if it's the baby because it's so sporadic.

Food cravings: Mocha Madness Iced Coffee from HoneyDew. Delish!

Food aversions: I'm good right now! We went to the Melting Pot and I thought the chunks of raw meat would do me right in but I stuffed my face all night. No problem there!

Gender: I was thinking girl, then I was thinking boy, now I have no clue what's going on. Our big ultrasound is this Thursday!

Symptoms: I have some intense rib/back pain on my left side when I stand too long, as in when I'm teaching all day. No good. I've also been going on long walks with Rocky and after a mile or so it starts acting up. Not sure if it's because I can't get comfortable at night or because things are stretching out.

Mood: Happy! A few cranky moments here and there but mostly happy! :)

Looking forward to: Our big ultrasound & planning a reveal party! 

              

Celebrating one year! {wedding highlight video is working now!}

This weekend we celebrated our first wedding anniversary. It is so crazy to think that we have already been married for a year. We were engaged for two and a half years and that seemed to last forever. Though, the closer we got to the wedding, the faster it all seemed to go by. Now it feels like we blinked and we were seeing that same date on the calendar again. We had a low-key celebration but we spent today doing my most favorite thing, spending time with my husband!

This morning, Jeff did his usual Sunday morning grocery run but when he came home he made a delicious breakfast and we spent time opening the cards that we received in the mail this week. One of our sweet friends even gave us a beautiful bouquet of flowers!

Then we headed out to walk a local lake with Rocky. It was a gorgeous day, 70 and sunny!

For dinner, we had reservations at The Melting Pot. Jeff chose the Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant, because he knew it would last a long time and we could just sit and enjoy ourselves. We loaded up on spinach artichoke cheese dip, entrees that included lobster, filet mignon, duck, pork, and chicken, followed by a heavenly peanut butter chocolate dessert dip. It was seriously a pregnant woman's dream!  Since we made a reservation, they knew it was our anniversary and put us in "Lovers Lane", a section of the restaurant that was very intimate and secluded. It was perfect but so dark and we couldn't get a picture :( The waitress was amazing and she brought us our dessert tray with a candle in the cake and said, I know it's not a birthday but an anniversary and a baby are definitely something to celebrate! She was so sweet. We toasted to us and made a wish for our baby. It doesn't get much better than that.

Everyday, I am reminded of what an amazing relationship I have and how lucky I am that I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend. Even when things aren't going the way we want them to, I can still say that I am lucky that Jeff just gets me and that he knows how to love me for better and for worse. These past six years have been better than I could have ever dreamed and marrying Jeff one year ago was the best decision I ever made. If I could do again, I wouldn't change a thing.

Happy First Anniversary to the love of my life! xoxox

Sarah & Jeff - Highlight Video

from Curtis Weddings on Vimeo.

17 Week 'Bump'date!

It feels strange to move on from the recent tragedy in Boston this week, but it is what we must do to honor our fellow Bostonians and this beautiful city. Today is a healing day in Boston and I have a baby to grow. It is sometimes scary to think of the kind of world that my baby will grow up in but I can honestly say that I hope my baby grows up in the kind of world that was so evident the past few days here. A world where, as Peter Reynolds said, there is more good than bad, more light than darkness. Boston and the rest of the world, showed that this week, we can make more light, and that makes me more confident of the beautiful world that my baby will grow up in.

This week: We celebrated my sweet Rocky's birthday, which was lovely and hilarious. I've been on school vacation but it's been pretty somber after the recent tragedy at the Boston Marathon.

How far along? 17 weeks!

Baby's size: Baby P is the size of an onion!

Total weight gain: When I snuck on the scale from home yesterday (trying not to do that too often) I was still at my pre-pregnancy weight. Clearly I have enough meat on my bones to sustain my little one. I have an appointment next week, so we'll see what happens, especially considering all the Bagel Bites I've been eating. :)

Maternity clothes? Still rocking regular yoga pants & rotating a couple of maternity and regular tank tops, as much as possible and unbuttoning my top button when I can't wear yoga pants. Thankfully, it finally feels like Spring in Boston, so I've been able to pull out some of my dresses. I also picked up some cute maternity dresses at a consignment sale this weekend, for when I'm further along. I couldn't resist the deals!

Stretch marks: Nope! I'm using Bio-Oil every night even though I keep reading that stretch marks are genetic. 

Sleep: Pretty good. I'm getting used to my Snoogle or the "white swan" as Jeff calls it, even though I still wake up on my back or stomach.

Best moment this week: Celebrating my sweet Rocky's first birthday.

What I miss: It was sushi until I had AH-mazing sweet potato rolls on Monday :)

Movement: Patiently waiting.

Food cravings: Still pizza. I had Jeff buy Bagel Bites on Sunday and already finished all three packs.

Food aversions: Most meat. Jeff made chili that had pretty big chunks of chicken and turkey and I just couldn't do it. And I LOVE chili!

Gender: Don't know.

Symptoms: The headaches are getting pretty bad and my face is breaking out like crazy :( Oh, and I've sprung a leak. Fabulous! Just keepin' it real.

Mood: Just so in awe of this little life growing inside of me! 

Looking forward to: Dinner with friends tomorrow night & more Spring weather!

I found some cute stuff at my first ever consignment sale last weekend. Three (3!) dresses from Motherhood Maternity for $26 total. Motherhood has some expensive stuff, so this is definitely more my style. I was hoping for some baby stuff, too, but the gender neutral stuff sucks. Too bad.