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Last Call.

I'll be pulling this blog down and auto-redirecting to my new blog around 11pm CST TONIGHT!

That means if you're following this blog or subscribe to it via RSS, you need to update STAT!

Please FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to the other blog so you don't miss a thing!

You'll find all my new posts (plus all OLD ones) at my other blog - Blogged Bliss.

This blog will explode in t-minus...

...two days.

I'm growing tired of double posting. So...as of THIS FRIDAY (2/5/10) I will no longer be updating this blog.

You'll find all my new posts (plus all OLD ones) at my other blog - Blogged Bliss.

After that point, I'm hoping to have this blog just redirect to the new one.

BUT - you really should FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to the other blog so you don't miss a thing!

KTHX!

Today is the beginning of the end...

...of my maternity leave.

Tomorrow, I go back to work.

Abby has been extra smiley today, which helps and hurts at the same time. She even gave me her first REAL GIGGLE! I tried so hard to get her to do it again but no. She's also mastering squishing things between her fists to "pick them up."

How do I feel about going back to the land of adult conversation? I'm actually really excited to go back. I can't wait to get my mushy brain back to working order, to wear real clothes and makeup everyday. To eat and pee and use a computer* without interruption.

But not being able to pick up and snuggle my little girl whenever I want breaks my heart. I know she's going to start doing a lot more in the coming weeks and I can't even think about missing her firsts.

Josh and I are in a position with his job where, if I REALLY REALLY wanted to, I could stay home. But when it really comes down to it...I don't want to. I like my job. I like my career. I like making my own money.  I am so thankful that between my job and Josh's, we really only need 3 days of childcare, and his parents are able to take care of her for those three days. It's a really hard decision, but I know it's the best.

Next up - the gallbladder. The u/s came back normal, lab tests normal. Next the doc wants me to do what's called a HIDA scan to see if maybe my gallbladder just isn't working. Needless to say, Vincent isn't coming out any time soon.

And the hair loss. I'm going to take a few deep breaths and write the current hair loss up to post-pregnancy hormones, but if I am still losing this much in a couple months (if there's anything left to lose by then) I'm going to talk to my doc. I guess the time between 3-4 months PP results in the most hair loss. Until then I will gulp back the tears as I clear out my tub drain.

*This post was interrupted by a whiny baby who apparently needed a burp, because she spit up all over herself and her bouncy chair. Cleanup of both baby and chair was followed by an awesome Abby nap  in the glider. Messy dining room and dirty dishes can wait when Abby falls asleep on Momma. Especially on her last day before going...back...to...work.....WAH!

The Completed Nursery

Since my new blog has more room for pictures - I suggest you view this post over at the new home of my blog -

The Completed Nursery @ blogged bliss.

And while you're there, bookmark, follow and subscribe! Oh, and vote. Don't forget this blog is going bye-bye in 2 weeks. :)

Oh dear.

Uhm, so I had no idea hair loss was a side effect of the Mirena IUD.

I didn't know until I read one of my favorite bloggers most recent posts.

And then I found this site.

Pardon my french but I am FREAKING THE FUCK OUT.

This HAS to be from the IUD. I am honestly pulling a golfball size clump of hair out of the drain every day. My hair is one of the few things I really REALLY like about myself and now it's going away.

Points to be made:

• This thing was expensive to have placed and I've only had it for 2 months. Should I give it more time? Probably. That's more than likely what my midwife would say.
• Let's say I get it pulled. Yaz/Yazmin is out - caused depression. NFP/Charting/condoms are a pain in the rear and SCARE THE BEJEEZUS out of me. What then? A different pill? I suppose.

Hokay, that's all for now. I just had to post this because omgwhatamIgoingtodo?!?!

Someone have the phone number for Hair Club for Men?

No, seriously.

I cannot even believe how much hair I am losing. I read that this would happen. I also read that my hair would get thicker with pregnancy. IT DIDN'T.

I really shouldn't complain, my hair has always been pretty thick. I would always lose a bit every day in the shower, but I'm pulling out handfuls now. There are enough tresses in my drain catch to give Barbie a hair transplant. But what can I do? A big fat NOTHING.

Thankfully, even though showering feels like a scene in a horror movie, I'm not really noticing my hair being thinner. Yet. (And by typing said words, I probably just cursed myself.)

In other news, I had my abdomen ultrasound-ed yesterday. It was really weird. I mean, I was watching the tech show me all my organs on the screen and kept thinking that it was only like, 10 months ago that I saw my little girl on the screen for the first time.  I was waiting for him to find my liver and say "and there's the baby!" or something like that. ::shudder:: If I heard those words again so soon...gah. Speaking of horror movies...

Anyway - no word yet from the doctor. If I was a betting lady (which I am) I would say there were no stones in that ultrasound. Just a big ol' empty gallbladder. I wish the doc would just call me so I can find out.

Four more days until I go back to work...

3 months.

My sweet, spitty baby.

You're three months old today. We celebrated by going to Babies R Us and buying you a few new toys, and by redoing my blog while you helped by sleeping. It was a fun day for sure.

You've already grown out of half of your 3 month sleepers, and have officially graduated to the level 2 nipples offered by Dr. Brown. (Pretty awesome, huh?)

I'm sad to say that the three month anniversary of your birth also means that momma's going back to work. Grandpa Mike had a couple trial Abbycare days in preparation the past few days. While I fully trust both him and Grandma Chris, I will more than likely cry every day that I leave you. In fact, today you cried while we were at the store, simply because you couldn't see me. And I nearly cried when I realized what that meant.

So, another month under the belt. Another month wiser, for both of us.

Love you much,

Momma.

I'm making the move.

...back to my old blog space.

Some of you may be familiar with it. I had a blog prior to this one called Blogged Bliss. Once I found I was pregnant (or trying to be) I started this blog so I could keep it a secret from all friends and family. But, now that the secret's out, I'd kind of like to go back home, so to speak.

I IMPLORE you to join me again - only this time at Blogged Bliss. All of my blog posts here have been moved so you won't be missing a thing! If anything, you get to read my posts PRE baby, including the insanity of getting married and buying our first house. And, if I do say so myself, I kind of think it's prettier. (Although still a work in progress.)

This blog will exist until Valentine's Day. Then all new posts will be found over at Blogged Bliss.

Thank you loyal readers! Follow! Subscribe! Vote! Pants on the ground!

I'm getting an ultrasound tomorrow.

No, dear internets, I am not knocked up again, THANK YOU BABY JESUS.

Lately, the dreaded avocado episodes are back. Indeed they were triggered by guacamole consumption (so sue me) and now the old gallbladder is just acting like a bitch again and hurting me all the time.

I was almost fully convinced I wasn't going to need any treatment for it after I had Abby because it seemed I could eat anything and everything I hadn't been able to while it was acting up. But I hadn't attempted the dreaded avocado. And then I did and then my gallbladder (AKA Vincent*) was all "OH NO YOU DI'ENT" and then I nearly died from pain.

So, I saw a loverly doctor today who scheduled me for an ultrasound of my jerky abdomen tomorrow morning at 8am (8 hours of no food beforehand?! They'd better start that thing at 8am ON THE DOT) to see if I've got some stones hanging out in there. I'm almost hoping there are, because the simple solution to relieve me of my pain is to yank the sucker out. She'd like to do it this week, if possible.

At first I panicked at the prospect of more time in the hospital, but in reality, as long as I don't have to vaginally deliver my gallbladder I'm pretty sure this will be a walk in the park.

In other news, Abby will be 3 months old tomorrow and DEAR GOD I GO BACK TO WORK IN A WEEK. Unless they pull out Vincent. Then it might be a little longer before work.

So, until I post a tear jerker post about how my child is practically already a grown up, I bid you adieu.

*A note about my gallbladder being named Vincent. My dear e-friend Poeia helped me name it. Vincent seemed the best since it makes me think of Vincent Price and I can only imagine my gallbladder being devious and having an awesome pencil-thin mustache.

Hungry baby = fast post.

Hello internets.

Again, routine in the Abby house = not much excitement. However, MY MOTHER is coming to stay with us! Her flight gets in at 5-ish today, and she's staying through the weekend (my dad is driving up on Friday). The hubs and I keep saying "they're going to shit when they see how much she's changed." Like, at least once a day we say that. It's getting ridiculous, but it's so true.

Anyway, Abby and I will be at the airport to pick her up, and I'm hoping she blesses my mom with a big gummy smile. They're still few and far between so when they happen it's pretty monumental.

Other than that, I go back to work TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY. I am both excited and totally dreading that day at once.

Sorry there's nothing funny to report with this post. Except maybe the fact that I smell like cat butt. Did I mention I didn't shower yesterday?  Because I didn't.

And...Abby just filled her diapers. The sheer force of her pushing out the poo made the pacifier in her mouth shoot across the room. THERE'S your excitement, internets. Enjoy.

This post is mostly for my mom...

...because she was getting sick of the guidos fist pumping every time she checked my blog.  Now you get to see a post addressed to you! And now everyone knows you're not amused by The Situation. I'll post your phone number for disagreeing fans later.

Not much is going on in the land of Abby and her unshowered mother. Routine is setting in, and so when I do things like wash dishes twice a day, do laundry and pick up the house while watching Bonnie Hunt and What Not to Wear...there really isn't much worth blogging about.

It DOES sadden me that routine is finally settling in, and I'm going back to work in less than three weeks. I'm going to try to make the best of the rest of my time and make Abby learn as many tricks as possible so I don't miss anything. She did give me a BIG smile yesterday morning when I went to her crib to get her up for the day. We're still working on smiles. I think she's just a little shy. Other than that, she's lifting her legs up in the air all the time now, so we're getting some assistance during diaper changes.

Hmmm...what else? I think that's about it for now. I apologize for my lack of anything. I'm spending most of my time manning the Save Conan fanpage on Facebook.  (I'm so crabby with NBC that I could spit.) Wanna become a fan? Click here.

Let me pause for a moment to say...

I LOVE JERSEY SHORE.

That is all.

No no no no no no no. DO IT.

Make one.

The 2 month check and a new skill.

Yesterday Abby had her 2 month checkup appointment, complete with shots.

Her new stats are 11 lbs 3ozs, and 24 inches tall. That's TWO FEET TALL, people. Where does she get her towering height from? Certainly not her parents. Maybe my dad's genes skipped a generation and she'll be 6'2".

Her shots went as well as could be expected. I felt horrible hearing her scream only to know she had 2 more to endure. But she survived, and so did I. And then she slept ALL DAY. Thus...last night didn't go so well. She didn't want to go to bed, and when she fell asleep she woke up at midnight, 4am, 6:30am, and that was that. We were up for the day. So now I'm doing my best to try to keep her stimulated and entertained so she sleeps tonight. Momma's tired.

In my attempts to keep her awake - she's learned a new trick.

She figured out how to bring the rattle up to her mouth AND CHEW ON IT. ISN'T THAT EFFING AWESOME?!  This kid - she's got talent. 

Hangovers and hepatitis shots.

Well, I survived NYE...barely. I drank as if I hadn't stopped drinking for 10 months. MISTAKE. Also...having champagne be a large portion of my bevvy consumption was a mistake. And maybe that shot of tequila was a mistake too.

despite the face I'm making it was quite delish.

 

the midnight mooch

...and then this happened.

I woke up on Friday morning with the WORST HEADACHE EVER and heard the hubs reaching for something in a pill bottle. I shoved my hand in his face while managing the words "GIVE ME SOME." I got Tylenol (what was left of the pregnancy stash) because we were out of Advil. Yet another sign of my lack of drinking. Christ, he could have given me his man vitamins and I would have been okay with it as long as I was taking SOMETHING.

I woke up a couple hours later headache free, but with the spins. We showered and headed to breakfast with friends where I nearly vomited about three times. I ordered toast and a fruit cup, managed to finish nearly all of it and felt a little better.  We then went to pick up Abby from the Grandparents and headed home for some good couch napping. Ahhh...New Years.

Anyway, my baby girl has her two month appointment tomorrow, complete with her first round of post delivery room vaccinations. ::insert scurred momma here:: I'm probably going to cry on the car ride home. That is, if they give her any shots at all. She's been a little booger-y and cough-y for the past 12 hours. I'm hoping it's just a fluke, but if she really IS sick, she might be skipping the shots this time around.

And today, I took this video. Pardon my squeaky voice. The hubs insists I should do voices in cartoons. I give a stern side-eye as a response to that comment.

Asking for a smile... from jenna bee on Vimeo.

Oh, and one last thing.

Pretty pretty please give a few clicks to the icons on the right, and also at the bottom of this post.

I'm a competitive gal. Your vote means a lot!!

It's been real, 2009.

So...we've come to the infamous blog post on New Year's Eve where bloggers 'round the world spout off resolutions everyone knows they won't keep and wrap up the year. (I find it hilarious that I only blogged more because I got pregnant, and did not lose 10 pounds but instead gained 40 and then lost 30...so essentially I GAINED 10lbs. Awesome.)

Mine shall be no different.

If ever there was a year that was a rollercoaster of emotions, it was this one. The nerd in me wanted to make a line chart of my ups and downs, but that seems a little excessive.

I ended 2008 by driving to Lutsen, MN in THE WORST BLIZZARD EVAR and then skied my way into 2009. I took a girls trip to Vegas where I crippled myself in my last attempt at heels. I went to Mexico with the hubs and my parents, where I peed on a stick and found out my life was never to be the same. Not long after that, my beloved Grandmother Gabba took a turn for the worse, and in April, she passed away.  I said goodbye to a friend far, far too early. Over the summer, I bitched and moaned about being pregnant with Abby, who kicked my ass internally. I had a baby shower, and had to put my darling kitty Miles to sleep. I attempted a weekend in the north woods at 28 weeks pregnant. I turned 29, had about a million labor scares, had another baby shower, gave birth 2 weeks early to my precious daughter, born on her late Great Grandmother Gabba's birthday.  And for the past 2 months I have watched her grow to be the best baby a mother could ask for.

If ever there was a year of growing up, this was it. I can safely say that I am not the same person I was on that chair lift in Lutsen a year ago. I am so much different. I know what it's like to lose a part of your heart by losing a loved one. I also know that there is no love like the one you can have for your own child. My mother has become more of a best friend than I ever imagined, and more important to me now that I know what she went through for me. (Read: LABOR.)

I'm not totally ready to file this year away. Parts of it I'm more than happy to try to forget, but others I feel like I never should forget. However, in a little more than 12 hours, 2010 will be here whether I like it or not.

I AM excited to see what 2010 has to offer. It's no longer about me, but all about Abby. I do turn 30 next year, so that sucks, but unlike this year, I'm looking forward to closing the door on my 20s. But that's another post for another day. (Another day, in September. Start thinking of appropriate birthday gifts NOW, people.)

My resolutions? Fast and furious - Try to be healthy and be the best momma I can be. I'm pretty sure those aren't too lofty. 

So, that's a wrap. We'll see you in 2010, ladies and germs.

2 months.

My dearest Abigail,

Yesterday you turned two months old. On Christmas day, we dropped you off at the Grandparents house for the evening so we could have a party with all of our friends. Occasionally I'd look around our house wondering who was holding you, only to remember you were safe and soundly sleeping in a house a few miles away. When your father and I finally called it a night, we both agreed that we barely could stand that you weren't here.

Saturday night, like I figured, you didn't sleep through the night like you normally do. I got up around 3:30 when your fussing became too much and groggily fed you your bottle. That's when I realized as much as I thought I'd hate not getting enough sleep and being woken up in the middle of the night...I absolutely love it. In fact, I prefer it. Staring at your beautiful face with only the orange glow of the light in your room is all I need to survive.

Love you much,

Mommy.

A snowstorm and a holiday.

Santa is coming tomorrow. As is a huge snowstorm.
So I may be absent for a while.

Or...if I'm snowbound, there may be a ridiculous number of posts.

Only time will tell.

In the meantime, happy holidays.