Autumn

This morning, I pulled the blanket over me. This is monumental because it’s been a sauna in the bedroom for the past few months. A cold front came through last night, so we opened the window and enjoyed some fresh, cool air wafting into the room. I think it was 53 at its coolest last night, according to the weather reports. The bedroom was sitting at a pleasant 72. I pulled out my flannel pants and opened the kitchen/ laundry room window this morning when I came down for breakfast. I waited until noon to open the sliding glass door — I wanted to see the thermometer hit 60 before doing so. I’m slightly chilly, which is a welcomed change from the constant sweating. Tonight it’s supposed to go down to 45. I just might need to use a comforter. Can you believe that? I might finally get a respite from all the hot, humid, stickiness that has become so incredibly suffocating! I’m looking forward to (potentially) wearing a long-sleeved shirt and warm socks to work on Monday. Of course, that’s contingent upon my childbearing status. In any case, I’m so relieved and happy.

This is post number 99 for me. My next post will have to be something extra special to celebrate. It’s only taken nearly two years.

ETA: I’m still waiting for Junior to arrive. I’m going just a bit stir-crazy, but slow and steady wins the race I guess.

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Gratitude # 18

1. I am extremely grateful for the cold snap that has settled into the area for the weekend. It feels glorious to open the windows and let the fresh, cool air blow in for a change.
2. I am grateful that I had the day off yesterday.
3. I am grateful that the baby is engaged in my pelvis — any day now!
4. I am grateful for the pleasant morning I had.
5. I am grateful to have only a few items left on my “to-do-before-the-baby’s-born” list.

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Gratitude # 17

1. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to work with a co-worker who will be moving on to another department (and college) within the university.
2. I am grateful for all the food we had today to wish her farewell.
3. I am grateful that today is the last day of the work week, thanks to homecoming.
4. I am grateful that I caught a couple of missing pieces of information in my “how to” guide for my temp replacement before the baby has decided to come.
5. I am grateful that I’m 38 weeks along and can really, truly say, “come on out, baby! It’s time to see the world!”

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Gratitude # 16

1. I am grateful for yesterday’s cooler weather. It was lovely.
2. I am grateful that dinner came out so nicely last night.
3. I am grateful that I remembered I wanted to do something with orzo tonight. (I almost forgot to figure out dinner!)
4. I am grateful to see an increase in daily page hits. (Woohoo, we’re getting there!)
5. I am grateful that my yogurt — while not a delicious slice of chocolate cake — will tide me over until lunch.

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Gratitude # 15

1. I am grateful that it wasn’t foggy, humid, and ridiculously hot this morning.
2. I am grateful to see that we’ll have “open window” weather this weekend.
3. I am grateful that it’s still currently in the lower 70s.
4. I am grateful knowing I’m another day closer to a big chunk of chocolate cake (with chocolate pudding filling and chocolate frosting — style still to be decided).
5. I am grateful for a mostly uneventful morning.

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Ten Truths

I have been tagged by Nicki and must now share ten true bits of information about me. Before I do that, I have to thank her for being so sweet and encourage anyone reading this to check out her blog.

1. I am a terrible housekeeper. I love to cook. I love to bake. I abhor cleaning. I think you can trace this back to my childhood, when getting to stay home sick from school meant cleaning the place from top to bottom. Even if I had to take breaks to just lay on the floor feeling miserable, I’d get through my chore list. I also lack the creative talents to decorate my space. I have decided not to get upset when my two-year-old takes crayons to the walls — at least they’re not plain white anymore!

2. I have a bad habit of starting projects and never finishing them. I started stories as a little girl that never got finished. I have the items collected for baby books, but I haven’t even started on my daughter’s baby book yet. I don’t know why I do this. I guess I get side-tracked by other tasks that steal my attention away from the projects I’d like to work on. As a result, I usually feel pretty warm and toasty inside when I do actually complete a project — even if it’s because I have to considering it’s part of my job.

3. I can’t go anywhere without my “borg attachment.” I love music and generally have my mp3 player with me at all times. It helps those bus rides to and from work seem a lot more tolerable, particularly when everyone’s crammed together like a can of sardines. It also makes those times when I just barely miss the bus pass by much faster and keep me from fuming about how x, y, or z kept me from making it to that magical last moment of bus-catching wonder.

4. I want that perfect family life that you see on 50s TV shows. I don’t mean the standing in front of the stove all day to have dinner on the table when the hubby walks through the door. I mean the family picnics, the family outings, the well-behaved and intelligent children, the happy home, the pets — that sort of thing. To me, that’s happiness.

5. I have an ego about my chocolate chip cookies. Originally, the recipe came from a Better Homes and Gardens cook book my grandmother owns. I tweaked a couple of ingredients, and I always get rave reviews about my cookies. My cookie-baking ego continues to inflate every year right around the holiday season, leading up to my super cookie-thon right before Christmas.

6. I’ll take shoveling snow over tropical storms anyday. Everyone talks about how great Florida is. Well, I’ve been living here for the past 13 years — it’s not that fabulous outside of the theme parks and beaches, folks. We have these crazy things called Tropical Storms and Hurricanes that come roaring through every summer. They spawn tornadoes, drench you with rain in sideways sheets, and blow debris through your windows. It’s terrifying. I’m a northern girl no matter what, and I think the Blizzard of 96 was just fantastic fun. We made an “igloo” in our backyard (it was more of a tunnel, but it was still awesome).

7. I’m still not much of a drinker. I never have acquired a taste for beer, and I don’t intend to. I find most wines to be bitter and grape-y (I’ve never been one for grape juice, either). While I have my select froo-froo drinks and a couple of good wines, I’m not at all bothered by going extended periods of time without an alcoholic beverage. Giving up alcohol for the duration of a pregnancy? No big deal here!

8. I am addicted to tea. Giving up caffeine for the duration of a pregnancy? Oh my goodness, Houston, we have a problem! I love, love, LOVE tea. I wake up needing something warm to drink and a little kick-start. Tea delivers both in one delicious cup of happiness. I generally prefer Red Rose brand, but I do enjoy Twinnings Ceylon tea (it’s more of a fancy treat, though). I take mine with a small spoonful of sugar and a splash of milk. I’m going nuts not being able to enjoy that simple pleasure right now.

9. I am all about informed consent. Blame it on my first c-section. The entire experience left me feeling very jaded. After massive amounts of research and a serious change in attitude, I’ve come to realize that doctors are human beings like the rest of us — there are good ones and bad ones, and you can’t just blindly nod your head and follow along. It’s good to ask questions. It’s good to do a little research. It’s good to get other opinions. Doctors can be wrong just like the rest of us. You’d question your waiter/waitress about the specials for the evening, why not apply that same logic to other aspects in life?

10. Yes, I had my first son when I was 18. I’m generally very shy about this piece of information. People tend to formulate different opinions about me when I get to the part about this being my third child — not my first. Nevermind the fact that I graduated high school in the top 11% of my class and had been accepted into my first choice college. Nevermind the fact that I was engaged at the time of conception. Nevermind the fact that even bright young girls with IQs of 160 can be quite fertile and silly at times. The point is that I made the decision I thought was best according to my personal values, and that “decision” is now a 7-year-old boy with dreams of building space ships and traveling to distant planets. The point is that I didn’t give up on my college education and still earned my degree. The point is that I didn’t let a silly thing like age stop me. I’m still just as determined as I was before motherhood — if not more determined now that I have other lives depending on me.

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50 Words or Less

Here is a little something from Renee: In 50 words or less, share a positive and inspirational story or message. It can be a quote, an experience you’ve had, an experience a friend has had, the moral of a children’s book, something you read in the newspaper…anything… Remember, you only have 50 words.

“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” Galadrial, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

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Gratitude # 14

My banana is spotty and over-ripe (I absolutely prefer yellow bananas, even with a twinge of green still on them). I’m sore. I had a typical Sunday night’s rest (read: I have NEVER been good about getting a decent night’s sleep on a Sunday night regardless of how well I keep my hours over the weekend). It’s humid and disgusting outside. The copier decided to staple 8 out of 51 copies. I think it’s time to find the good things in life!

1. I am grateful for homecoming, which means I’ll get Friday off — if I don’t have a baby before then — and a three day weekend.
2. I am grateful that there are no tropical disturbances at this time.
3. I am grateful to have had a productive weekend.
4. I am grateful to have come to a decision on my “labor” cake. (I will explain this in the birth story.)
5. I am grateful our janitor keeps the women’s room so immaculate.

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Gratitude # 13

1. I am grateful that today is Friday — because extra sleep is always a positive thing!
2. I am grateful to have a shrinking to-do-before-the-baby-is-born list.
3. I am grateful that it’s almost lunch time (I’m getting hungry).
4. I am grateful for the sales on a couple last-minute items I’d like to have on standby for labor and delivery.
5. I am grateful to have more page hits (thank you, Nicki — and I promise I’ll email you back soon).

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Gratitude # 12

To be quite honest, I’m finding this gratitude series to be extremely helpful. I’m very happy with this series. On to my gratitude:

1. I am grateful for a ride I received this afternoon when it was about 90 degrees with 80% humidity (or so it felt).
2. I am grateful to know that it can’t stay summer forever. (That’s right, Mr. Heat, you’re going down sooner or later!)
3. I am grateful that tomorrow marks 37 weeks.
4. I am grateful for soft pillows — so very, very grateful!
5. I am grateful for these “practice” contractions that help get me ready for the “real” thing.

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