Greetings from the Road!

Or perhaps this should be titled "Traveling Alone with Alice: Day One"

We left really early this morning. A few minutes before 7am to be exact. Granted, some of you are probably snorting because that isn't "early", but when you don't typically get up until 8:30-9ish that is early. Alice was awake for the first 40 minutes or so.

We got into Ohio about 9. Alice woke up when I stopped for gas and we ate breakfast at Bob Evans. Or I did. Alice had a few bites, then proceeded to throw scrambled eggs. I guess she filled up on crayons before the food came... yes, she kept trying to chew on them. Apparently, crayons are good for cutting teeth :/

Then we had a blow-out. Mid-meal. So I shoveled (literally) food as quickly as possible and headed to the bathroom. Good thing she was still in her pajamas and I had clothes for her!

We continued on through Ohio. Pretty uneventful. I had to stop at a rest stop to go to the restroom.

Pennsylvania was equally uneventful. Well other than another blowout. I smelled it and heard it about the same time. So we stopped at the next exit and everybody went to the bathroom, and filled up the car.

We got in to New York about 3:15 and miraculously got to the hotel about 4:30. Of course, I decided we could keep going if I could find somewhere nice to stay an hour down the road. I looked on this hotel app on my phone and decided we were at the nicest/safest place we would find within my limit of driving. So we got a room. Alice rode on the cart with Marty and the luggage! I wish I had gotten a picture, but perhaps I'll think of that tomorrow upon checkout.

We got everything to the room and Alice explored for a bit. I had to change another almost blowout. Yes, we have diarrhea! Then I got her ready for the pool. I put on my bikini (egads!) and we headed to the pool. No one was there so I didn't mind my pregnant body one not. The water was cold and Alice was shivering. Of course that didn't stop her. So we "swam", which really involved me walking in the pool and holding/carrying her. There is a cool fountain/waterfall and she thought that was way cool. After 30 or so minutes, I got her wrapped in a towel; me in two, and we headed back to the room.

I looked online and found an Olive Garden a couple of miles away, so we got dressed and headed out. The 4+mile journey turned out to be 15 or so because I couldn't get over to the exit I needed (crazy New York drivers!) and had to go to the next exit to turn around. I would also like to point out that we needed exit 52E...which was 5 miles away from exit 52A. And the exit after 52E was 52W. In Indiana, those would be 52 and 57 because exits correspond to the mile differences/markers. How does your state do that stuff?

So we got lasagna, salad, and breadsticks. Now we are watching tv/running around. Bath time is coming up soon, followed by bedtime (hopefully). Though I doubt she will go to sleep much before 11:30 or 12, when she usually does.

Change of Plans

Alice and I were supposed to leave this morning, but we are still at home and in our pajamas. Don't worry. We are planning on leaving tomorrow. I just needed an extra day to get stuff done and rest. Alice appears to be over the diarrhea (hope and pray!), but I wanted to take an extra day to make sure. Plus, I have been run-down. Sore throat, cough, fatigue. And all I can take is Tylenol and Ricola throat drops. I am feeling better today. I took some selenium, zinc, and garlic last night. Oh, and a Tylenol PM. Nice sleep...even if I did wake up a bazillion times!

So we are leaving tomorrow. By 9am. I hope to leave earlier than that, but I won't be mad if we don't. Especially since I will be loading the car all on my own. Ugh! Two suitcases, a diaper bag, a bag of snacks/food/drinks, high chair, toys, books, clothes for my sister, stroller, and who knows what else!

Speaking of which, any advice for traveling two twelve hour days with a toddler? I figure we will be stopping every 2-2 1/2 hours for bathroom breaks, food, rest/stretching legs. Our first leg of our trip is about 9 hours...I'm figuring 12-13 hours.

Friday Night Leftovers

I have yet to figure out how (or if I am able) to do bullet points in this app.

• I may have figured the bullets out.
• Alice and I went to visit the babysitter, her daughter, and new baby. We had a good time. Alice went outside with her daughter (who is almost 12) and I got to cuddle and smell the baby. I miss that baby smell! While I was talking to Jennifer, she was explaining how frustrating life was with her daughter. I listened. Threw out a few "hormone", "puberty", "new baby", "adjustment" things. Then she goes on to say that (I kid you not) "she hates her right now". What? How can you hate your child?
•There have been moments where I have been really tested and tried, while parenting. I know there will be plenty more too. But I hope and pray that I never feel hatred toward any of my children. Frustration, of course, but never hate. And to think that this lady took care of my child!
• Alice has two molars and another tooth coming in. She has had horrible diarrhea for the past 36 hours...and a horrible, raw, rashy bottom. She has hardly eaten anything today, though she seems to be getting a bit of an appetite.
• I talked to a nurse about all of that stuff, and she said the diarrhea was viral and could last up to two weeks. Great! I would hate to have to delay/cancel our trip to Boston to visit my sister. If Alice still has diarrhea then, I won't be going (or at least that day). There is no way we could stop every hour to change a dirty diaper and everything else!
• Alice and I are planning on leaving Tuesday, will stay the night in Buffalo, NY (most likely) and continue on to Boston on Wednesday. The plan is to stay a week, and then come back home.
• I had more to write, but I'm tired. Alice is fussing, an no one slept much last night. So I'll call it a night!

Go check out Danifred for more Friday Night Leftovers, which I believe will be the Saturday edition!

Belly Pics!

I had to have my sister email me my 16 and 18 week pictures, as they were on my old phone and I have no way of retrieving them. So here we will have my 16, 18, and 20 week pictures. In the last two my bathroom is a bit of a mess, so I apologize. I also think that the shower curtain is crooked in the last one because someone was pulling on it and it almost came down. I have since fixed it!

Here is 16 weeks.




18 weeks




20 weeks



I need to compare these to Alice's pregnancy because I'm pretty sure I'm a lot bigger, but maybe not.

I have also figured out how to put text between pictures! Go me :)

Now, I am planning on getting a new camera. Suggestions? I like the Samsung Dual-View but I was thinking about something a bit nicer.

Sprout Update

As I mentioned the other day, we had our 20week u/s. Sprout is measuring between 20w and 20w4d for various body parts. Heartrate was 148. This baby's heartrate has fluctuated between 148-188. Alice's was pretty consistent around 165. My fundal height was measuring 21w. According to my calculations, I was either 19w1d or 18w6d. So this baby is measuring WAY ahead, according to me (and my O date). So my due date is March 14 (by LMP), March 17 (by u/s), and the 20-22 by O date.

I turned my head when we got to the gender part, so Sean and Alice could see. I had the lady put that picture in an envelope and seal it...for future reference in a baby book. Shortly after seeing the gender, the tech slipped and used a pronoun. Though I thought I was imagining things. Then we were leaving, and Sean said something that pretty much solidified my belief. I held out for three days before tearing that envelope open, and I was right in all of my thinking and intuition. Without further ado, pictures of Sprout!

I apologize, these pictures are sideways and are pictures of my pictures, but I think you will be able to figure out what is what ;)


And Sprout is a little boy! I was thinking boy because he was measuring a good week ahead at every u/s. Then Sean told me to eat something healthy when we were leaving the ob's. Which he never said anything like that when I was pregnant with Alice.

Testing

I'm testing my blogger app on my new iPhone. If this works, then I will do my original intended post!

Below, you should see the cutest pizza cheese face ever!

Forgive Me

I know it has been awhile since I have posted. Over a month! I can't believe it myself. A lot has been going on. I have been swamped with pt/dr appts, busy with Alice, and doing a whole lot of cleaning/organizing...oh, and reading. I have read probably 12 books in the past month.

So what has been going on? The other day, I had a genius idea. I need as much quality sleep as possible, and that is hard in our queen size bed with Sean (who is a lot bigger than me) and Alice (whom is way smaller, but moves around just as much as she did in the womb-seriously, this kid would wake me up with her kicks and punches...and that hasn't changed since she is in our bed). No more! I pulled the futon mattress out. I bought new bedding and curtains. I bought a pillow pet and scented oil for her room. The result? Brilliant! She loves her bed. She will go lay down on her own for naps. She watches movies in there (when I put them on). And I have been having a good night sleep for the past 4 days! Why didn't I think of this sooner?

I have some belly pics to share, but I'm on my phone so I can't post them right now. I have my 20 week u/s tomorrow. Though, I think I'm 19 weeks. I have decided not to find out the gender. I want to be surprised. I will have the tech write it down and seal it in an envelope, just in case I change my mind. I may let Sean have a peek, if he swears not to tell a soul...and forget about it immediately. If he slips up, you may see us on the news (crazy pregnant wife strangles husband) ;)

I will make sure to come back in the next day or two. I need to post pictures of Alice's room, belly pics, and new pics of Sprout (which I will get tomorrow!). Yippee! I can't wait to see Sprout again! I have been feeling him/her for awhile, but a lot more in the past few days!

Hope all is well with all of you! Til next time :) xoxo