Birthday Weekend

Well, it's official. I'm an old woman.

I turned the big 28 on Saturday.

Eek...30 is just an arm's length away.

The only thing that makes me feel better is Rands is an arm's length away plus 3 months ahead of me.

Mopac and I are officially the same age. Also sad.


But even though I'm getting older, this birthday by far was the greatest!

The best thing about it was this is the year I'm going to become a mom. Sometimes that's still hard to imagine. But it really is happening. Feeling the baby move all day long was the greatest gift of all. Thanks God :)

Friday, Randy and I had a fun pre-birthday celebration. I picked Texas Roadhouse because I love their steak kabob with all the veggies and their homemade salad dressings. Oh yah, those rolls and honey butter aren't terrible either. After we went to watch a comedy show at Esther's Follies on 6th street. We had a blast. It was nice to see Randy laughing and relaxing. He's been super stressed studying for his upcoming Professional Engineering exam. (The PE exam deserves its own post, more to come later.)

Saturday, My parents came into town. My mom and I share our birthdays, and I can't think of spending the day without her right next to me. I love, love, love the fact that we are birthday buddies. I'm pretty sure our waitress didn't believe my dad when he told her at dinner. But do you really want to prevent a pregnant lady from getting her free dessert? This is a rhetorical question.

My parents brought me these beautiful flowers...


(I love sunflowers and the yellow peppers!)

and the most amazing gift ever...it deserves an entire post in itself...stay tuned.

Hint: It's for the nursery!!! EEEK!!! Get excited people!!!


Birthday dinner fun!

This was right before they put these huge sombreros on our head, which my mom reported as a huge potential for messing up her hair. But hey, sometimes it's the price you gotta pay for the free brownie. Bring on the messy hair!


On Sunday, Jana and I went to Pecan Street Festival. Sixth Street twice in one weekend. I'm one crazy pregnant lady!

Pecan Street Festival is one of my favorite Austin festivals. There are arts and crafts, live music, good food, and samples of those delicious sugar coated pecans. We shopped at all the little booths, and I desperately wanted to buy these flower clips for those cute little newborn headbands. But, we might be having a boy, and Mopac wouldn't really be a fan, so I just browsed. Waiting to find out the gender is the best shopping intervention ever.

After, we opened the 2011 Broadway season with "Rain," which is a tribute to the Beatles. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. I generally like plays with characters and a plot. But this was so fun! I knew a lot of songs! And the energy from all those baby boomers was infectious. The people behind me were even older than the baby boomers, but boy did they have the moves on "Twist and Shout." The sweet couple next to me tapped their feet the entire time.

It was really cool to see a glimpse into their fans' lives. People were singing and clapping along as if they were still a teenager. I can't wait until I'm attending a concert that's a tribute to the Backstreet Boys. I'll be singing "Everybody, rock your body" for weeks on end.

My favorite part was all the costumes and old clips of their concerts. The lighting and special effects made me feel like I was part of the 60s. The Long Center even had a smoke smell (but not that type of smoke) from all the special effects and stage smoke. I was waiting for Austin Powers to jump on stage at any minute and shout "Yah Baby!"

The band was impressed with how many young people were in attendance. All people under 19 years of age were asked to stand up and pledge they would keep the Beatles alive. How bad would it have been if they would have said, "Everyone under the age of 27, please stand up?"

The bad thing was they didn't play "Penny Lane." Umm, that's really why I was there.
Can you really do a Beatles concert without that song?

It was a crazy busy and super fun birthday weekend. My family and friends mean the world to me.

I'm just a lucky gal! And wait until you see my parents second birthday gift. Our nursery is going to rock!

I just have to...

Okay, sometimes my opinions just have to come out.

I'm sitting here, and I'm in shock.

What is wrong with people?

I think there are certain parts of your pregnancy you should share, and there are other parts that don't need to be advertised.

This has always bothered me.

I try to be really careful about what I put on Facebook and my blog. I usually stick to funny stories.

One of the big things I'm questioning right now is whether or not take maternity pictures. I know this is a momentous occasion, and one day when I don't feel like the ugliest and chubbiest person on the planet, I'll want these as a keepsake. And I will not, will not, repeat- will not, take any pictures with the heart forming around my belly button. That pose makes me kinda throw up a little in my mouth. (I know I offended some people. Sorry, but that pose drives me insane. Randy will come up behind me and do that because he thinks it's funny. Mainly, he likes being a punk.)

Anyway, I'm leaning towards getting some done. But they will be extremely tasteful.

Here comes the disbelief part. Have you ever googled maternity pictures?

Wow, don't do it at work. It is not safe people. It is borderline porn. Don't lose your job looking at maternity pictures.

To sum it up, it is gross!

How will you feel when your child is a teenager and runs across mommy's maternity pictures with her being totally exposed?

It.is.gross.

ponderings

I'm so anxious to meet Little Lueders.


I want to know so many things about him or her.

For starters, the biggest question is whether it'll be a him or her. I don't like to call the baby "it," but sometimes its hard to come up with a descriptor. We're going with LL (for Little Lueders) in this post.

I also think of how different Randy and I are. The baby will be a blend of both of us, but I wonder what traits will stand out.

Will LL be outgoing and talkative like me or quiet and introverted like Rands?

Will LL have a silly sense of humor or a sarcastic/dry humor?

Will LL like to play sports or read a book?

Will the baby have curly hair like Randy's sisters (One is even a blondie!). Oh I hope so, I love curly hair children. Or will it have black, straight hair like my mom?

It's fun to think about all of our differences and what we each bring to the gene pool as far as relatives go and our own traits.

Randy and I are pretty much day and night. Hopefully LL will arrive healthy and happy.

Then eventually, we'll see LL turn out to be just like me;)

Pain

Today I'm 26 weeks along.

Insert happy dance here.

My body is definitely feeling every bit of 26 weeks. I'm not sure how some women are pregnant 5, 6, 9 times. We might have an only child. This past week has marked some minor challenges and new aches.

My biggest concern is the sudden emergence of rib pain. Oh my goodness, I have this constant aching pain in my ribs. In fact, my ribs are sore to the touch. I called my doctor about it because there have been several times that I wanted to leave work early because of the pain.

It basically could be a lot of things. It ranges from the uterus pushing on the rib cage to baby putting pressure/kicking ribs. I read something about nerves being pinched. Who knows? What I do know is that the pain leaves me almost in tears.

So I'll try hot and cold compresses next. I feel like that Operation board game guy. It feels like someone is poking around and snapping rib bones.

Yes, definitely thinking one child.

14 more weeks...
Keepin' on, keepin' on!

Nursery Excitement!

This weekend was the first weekend I really started working on the nursery.

I'm so excited about this project, I can hardly stand it.

I have so many ideas it's a little overwhelming. I got my sketch book out and started drawing and planning and practically peed in my pants with excitement.

Did I mention I was excited?

I've been searching craig's list for some good deals and I have three pending emails out there. Come on sellers, respond with "Yes, it's still available."

My crib came in as well. We would be picking it up today, but no!!! It's college football Saturday. Randy studied all day and watching football tonight is on the agenda. We're picking it up tomorrow, and I will probably try to assemble it.

R: "Penny, I will put it together."

Umm, in about 2 weeks. I can't wait that long. I can read instructions. It can't be that hard.

I have so many cool things I want to share, but I'm keeping it mum.

Here's a sneak peak of what's to come...



Dr. Seuss crib sheets:)

Happy Things

Today was a great day!

I conquered the glucose drink. People are big babies. Everyone told me how awful it was. It wasn't bad at all. It's like Orange Crush with a couple tablespoons of sugar poured in it. It's extremely sweet, which I wasn't a fan of but it was extremely doable. I've never liked really sweet drinks though. I hate Texas sweet tea and kool-aid. Yuck! I always add water. Hopefully I passed, so I don't have to do the 3 hour test.

The baby was precious today. We got to see some expressions on it's zoomed in face. Little Lueders was grinning. It loves me already! I knew it, but this confirmed it;)
25 weeks and 2 days!

I asked my doctor if the theory of how you carry the baby predicts gender is true. He laughed and with a grin said, "I missed that day of medical school." Oh how I love him!

Chick Fil A is going to have a spicy chicken tortilla soup come out next year. That's right, you heard it hear first. The most friendly Chick Fil A employee informed me of this today as he handed me my chicken noodle soup. I'm super pumped!

Then I started thinking how much I love soup right now. I want it all the time.

Here's my top 10 list of soups.

1. chicken tortilla
2. tomato basil
3. French onion
4. chicken and rice
5. vegetable
6. cream of potato
7. broccoli cheese
8. chicken noodle *unless it's Ramen- then it would be higher
9. Italian wedding soup
10. minestrone

Man, I wish we were having soup for dinner tonight.

Made My Day

7th grade lunch is getting a little uncomfortable. I haven't officially announced to the kids that I'm pregnant. I just think that would be an awkward conversation. I was hoping they would just all guess or figure it out.

Maybe they just think I'm fat.

Whenever I have a conversation with a student, they no longer look at my face. They stare at my tummy.

It's an awkward turtle moment for sure.

Well, some are starting to get really curious and brave.

Here's what totally made me smile today.

A seventh grade boy walked up to me at lunch and said, "I have a question."

Me: "Sure, go ahead."

Boy: "Are you married?"

A little surprised he didn't want a schedule change, I said, "Yes I am."

Boy: "Okay, then are you pregnant?"

Me: "Yes, I am pregnant also."

Boy: "Okay, good. Because I wouldn't have asked the second question if you would have said no to the first question. Because that would have been, ummm, a little uncomfortable. You know where I'm going with this?"

Oh me! Oh my! Out of the mouths of babes.
I wanted to write him a positive referral for being so dang cute and totally making my day.

Because we could all use a little laughter!

Changin' It Up

I have no idea what to cook anymore. It is becoming more and more difficult to make my weekly menu. It all sounds the same or involves me buying every ingredient because I don't have it in stock. I'm in a cooking rut.

My new goal is to grab a cookbook I never look at and make one recipe from that selected book each week.

This week's recipe was a winner!!!

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 Tbsp. chopped onion (I used 3 or 4 Tbsps. If I was going to mess my knife and cutting board up for 1 Tbsp., I'd probably just omit.)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes (I used the Italian diced tomatoes.)
2 c. fresh broccoli florets
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch dried oregano
16 oz. dry penne pasta
1/4 c. fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil, add chicken and cook until slightly brown. Drain. Add onion and garlic to cook for about 5 minutes or until garlic is golden and onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, broccoli, salt, pepper and oregano; stir well and bring to a boil. Cover and turn down heat to simmer for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender, drain and add back into pot. (I add some pasta water to the chicken mixture so it coats the noodles better.) Pour chicken sauce into pot and mix well. Add basil, toss well and top with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes if desired.

Serves 8

Enough to take for lunch the next day! And have a big pot left over. I think I should have went halfsies on this one.

Heavy Hearts & Proud Spirits

When I took my sociology class in college, I had a project that involved interviewing people.

Sociological theory states that people will remember the most specific details regarding a tragic event.

I interviewed several adults regarding the assassination of JFK.

My mom even remembered what she had for lunch that day.

The human brain is an extraordinary thing.

It's been 10 years since 9/11. I remember it happening like it was yesterday. Listening to the radio and news over the last couple of days, people continue to support this theory.

One person was studying for a French exam when they heard. He even remembered what was on the test.

Another person posted the specifics of what they were wearing on that day.

I was sitting in WHS's library. I didn't have a first period class my senior year because I took a course at Blinn Community College. A student aide rushed into the library and shouted out, "A plane flew into a building in NYC." We all raced out of the library to Ms. Nelson's room. Ms. Nelson, our government teacher, had her classroom t.v. on, and we all stood in disbelief as the second plan hit the World Trade Center.

Prove the theory right!
Where were you when you heard the sad news?
What were you doing?

Regardless of these details, one thing is certain.

No one can forget the events of 9/11.

Today, we remember the people who lost their lives in this tragic event. So many children lost a parent that day. And so many parents lost a child that day. These lives have been so different the last ten years.

With a heavy heart, we lift these people up to you Lord.

God, please put your loving arms around them. Comfort them and hold them near You.

Bless our nation and the courageous armed forces who ensure this is still the best dang country in the world.

Bless the USA!!!

Things I know...(part 3)

My feet are becoming Peggy Hill feet. None of my shoes fit. All of them are tight. In fact, I stretch and pull on all the sides of my shoes before I cram my foot inside. No one tells you your feet grow when you are pregnant.

My balance is a little off these days. I tend to walk into people.

I'm out of breath after everything I do. I pretty much am panting after opening a bottle of water. I was so worried about this, I did some research. Apparently as my uterus continues to grow, it pushes up against my lungs causing a shortness in breath.

I use a heating bag every night to soothe some of my back pains. It started out with lower back pains. Now the muscles that run on both sides of my spine under my shoulder blades throb constantly.

Sleeping is becoming more and more difficult. I've started using the word "uncomfortable" when people ask how I'm feeling. I don't generally like their response back, "Oh just wait."

Everyone lets me pick where we're going to eat out. Umm, Mexican food please, duh!!

Babies make you want to buy things. I think it's good that we don't know the gender. If so, it would be out of hand at this point.

My growing tummy makes me giddy!

I don't know if I've ever been more excited about anything in my entire life.

The Great Name Debate

The most popular question we get these days is, "Do you have a name picked out yet?"

Yet, as in, "You've been pregnant since April. You surely have a name by now."

The answer is a big fat no. I'm pretty sure our hospital discharge papers will be placed in a pending folder somewhere as we continue to debate our first born's name.

Why is this so difficult?

Because Randy and I have completely (let me emphasize the word COMPLETELY) different ideas. I like very unusual, uncommon names. He likes very common names (and names that are identical to every former annoying student that I taught in the past.)

Just to give you an idea of how are conversations usually go...

P: "Randy, I really like the name 'Landry' for a little girl."
R (with a disgusted face): "You mean, like Landry Jones, the OU quarterback."

Never mind...

That's a no-go. No sooner names here apparently. It's not like we're naming it Stoops. (Man, he's annoying with his visors!)

So we usually don't discuss names. It's a dangerous topic that leaves me feeling defeated.

I came up with a plan. I placed a baby name book on our dining room table. As we're eating, Randy would undoubtedly start flipping through the book, and we can get the discussion going."

Well...I need a new plan. Here's how that went last night during dinner.

What about...
R: "Samson?"
P: "Really?"
R: "He'd be strong. Strong, like bull."

What about...
R: "Zeus?"
P: thinking, "How can that be in the book?"
R: "How cool would that be?"

What about...
R: "Saber? Our kid could be an American Gladiator."

Here's the best one!

What about...
R: "Mack?"
P: "As in Mack Brown? Randy, we don't need to be that fanatical."
R: "It's a cool name."
P: "It's in the phrase, "about to get your mack on."
R: "Oh our boy will be doing that." (with this silly little grin on his face because he must be thinking "like father, like son." PUUHH LEASSEEE!!!!!)

Let me point out three things.
1. The name book apparently was a terrible idea.
2. Randy only seems to be interested in finding a boy name.
3. We only have 12 weeks until I'm full term and have to figure this thing out.

Yikes!

Tea Time

I' always on the look out for cool kitchen gadgets. I love quirky little things. Quirky usually means expensive.

I'm not going to buy these. Believe me, we are working on a "budget." Oh how I hate that word. With a baby on the way, we're going to have to change how we spend our money. When I say "we're," I mainly mean "me." Randy sent me a working rough draft two days ago, and I haven't even opened the email yet. It just sounds scary and depressing. But I'm completely off topic, and besides who wants to read about budgets?

Yah, exactly!

So on to the lighter, airier topic, cool kitchen items.

These tea gadgets were featured in my Food Network Magazine.



The robot holds the tea bag!


Who wouldn't want a robot sticking out of your tea mug?

What a conversation piece!

Or check this one out...



These people are fishing for your sponge, I mean tea bag! Love it!!!

God please bless Texas!

The last two days have been filled with sadness, fear, worry, and an uncontrollable feeling of helplessness.

The wildfires in Central Texas can't even be described. I can't even look at the pictures online anymore. The pictures look like they came out of a movie. Unfortunately, they are real. It makes my stomach hurt.

Everyone in the area is just sitting on pins and needles. Bastrop has always been my favorite part of the drive between my parents house in Weimar and Austin. Those beautiful pines are now fuel. My friend said it best when she said, "I haven't been this sad since 9/11."


This is a bad nightmare, and it seems to be getting worse. We know people who have lost their homes. If you don't personally know of anyone, you know someone who knows someone else. I recognize the last names of people being interviewed on tv. I know where the subdivisions are that are being evacuated. I know that places I remembered going to as a little girl are now gone or being threatened.

Randy has many fond memories of Bastrop as his Grandparents live here. He learned to play golf with his Papa at the golf course in Bastrop State Park which unfortunately is no more.

This evening because of the crazy winds, the fire was approaching the Fayette County border line. Oh how I love Fayette County! Randy and I know that one day we will move back and raise our family there. We loved growing up in that area, and we're just sick about the fires that are threatening the area. We are waiting and praying for some good news. But the fire remains at 0 percent containment as it continues to spread. Luckily the winds are dying down.

Please pray for Texas! Please pray for the families who have lost their homes and the brave people fighting these beasts. The unknown is so scary. Bastrop, Texas is on my mind constantly as people are facing this nightmare dead on as they evacuate and wait and wait some more for the news of whether their house, belongings, and treasures have been spared. I know these are just "things," but it doesn't make it any better.

Bastrop's fire is by far the largest, but it's not the only one. I'm also praying for my school's community. 25 homes have been burnt down and more damaged in the area where I work. We don't have school tomorrow due to the fires. People are hoping to return to their neighborhoods tomorrow, and we will know more about the damage then. I believe our school has been spared.

What a roller coaster day! Randy has monitored my access to all the pages on Facebook. Can I give a shout out to Mark Z? He is amazing for his Facebook invention. I have been more informed than ever. Facebook is about 2 hours ahead of the Austin news update. Fayette County EMS has been extremely helpful if anyone is looking for a good site to follow. I'm probably too informed for being an expecting mom. My baby is probably so stressed out right now (hence the monitoring). Tomorrow, I will need to find some distractions. Maybe I'll work on my geography skills. I can't even tell you how frustrated Randy is with my compass skills. So I might get a little confused with all this east and west stuff. He even gave me a lesson tonight on Google maps. I'm just concerned and worry gets in the way with all this north/south/east/west lingo.

Just please make it stop!