Random Commentaries on Life

Funny how things change from college, isn't it?

In college, I was that girl. Wild. Crazy. Bar Star by night, Proper (ha!) sorority girl by day :-)



Never had a boyfriend yet, one of the firsts to get married. Loved kids, but never thought I'd be the first to have one. Ha! Funny how things change.

Last weekend, I had a bit of a reunion of sorts with a bunch of sorority sisters. Due to my swollen self, no pics are admissable, BUT I can tell you that my girlfriends are looking SO good. Sigh. And I was jealous.

At one point- we went around the table and updated on our lives. I was thinking- gosh, my life is so boring: I go to work, I collapse on the couch, I beg my husband for dairy queen..add tossing and turning for several hours per night and you have summed up my life at the moment. New and exciting? I mean, having a baby is AMAZING, but going out to bars in the big city? Romantic trips with the new boyfriends? Debating on whether to save themselves for marriage OR change their facebook relationship status? These are the juicy goods, my friend- NOT being married, having a mortgage with a baby on the way. I felt a bit out of sorts. Not that I am anything but LOVING my life, just funny how hearing about others' makes you focus on the things you don't have, instead of the things you do.

My good friend Sarah, actually commented on her blog about this and I think she hit it right on the head.

As people, really as WOMEN, I think you are always thinking "what if." Not that you are unhappy, sad or even dissatisfied with life, but I think the "what ifs" are natural. Sure, being single in the city would be amazing-no worries about toliets breaking in your rented apartment (Hello, Landlord!), drinking cosmos at the bar with friends without a worry about the time, working as late as you want because you don't have to go home to anyone and picking up at a moment's notice to do, well, anything YOU want.

But, on the other side, coming home to that soulmate you have found, resting in the house you are building equity in and knowing that in your life, you may not know where things are going- but you know who you are going with, is, at least for me, bliss.

And since its Friday...I found this and it made me laugh- hope it does the same for you!

Baby Jag countdown is on- I should be induced in less than a week if he doesn't come this weekend. Pray that barometric pressure change from all the snow helps push things along!

Nursery Time

As promised, here are some pics of our nursery. We did a "sailboat" theme of sorts- I was OBSESSED with the bedding from PBK- my husband is actually the instigator of the rug.

I love these frames on our bookshelf

I actually dropped this stand in the Target parking lot- THANK GOD for superglue and faux painting!

My mom gave us this chair and I had it recovered. Turned out GREAT! My crafty friend Sarah made the curtains and pillow!

Nursery view

Love the crib- Nursery Time in Lexington

JM had a family friend buy this adorable sailboat chair and blanket. Can't wait for Baby J to use it.

A family friend made this bookshelf from scrap wood in our garage- we painted it.

The nursery as a whole turned out better than I expected- we still have some pics we want to hang. Other thing that's missing? Oh, yeah, that'd be our BABY BOY! Can't wait to bring him home!

38 Weeks...and COUNTING!

Yesterday I was officially 38 weeks and- more officially- TIRED of being pregnant! My limbs are so swollen, I feel GIGANTIC.

Lots of things have been happening in the Simply household the past few weeks that contributed to my blogging hiatus...

1. Sadly, my grandmother passed away January 8. We were relieved that she is in a better place, without pain, but my mom is taking her passing very hard. As a result, my dad suggested she come stay with me until Baby J is born. So, since the 17th, JM and I have had a houseguest!

2. As fabulous as it is to have my mom here, she has a lot of medical issues and cannot drive. This means lots of runs to the pharmacies, checking on her daily at lunchtime, making sure she isn't overdoing it and ensuring her meds are taken on time. I wouldn't trade having her here for anything in the world- but this is a full time job! :-)

3. I have the sweetest friends in the world. Not only did they come into town this weekend, stop to see the nursery and catch up- they also took me to Pazzos! I was so excited to hang out and feel normal. JM stayed with Mom, so I had a guilt-free afternoon of girl talk and gossip. I. love. these. times.

4. I had a doctor appointment yesterday. Still 1 cm- but they checked my cervix "aggresively" (Re: it hurt- NOT FUN!) yesterday, so hopefully that stimulated something. For the TMI- the doc says sex will induce labor. At this point, I would rather do ANYTHING than this. But, JM says that if he can help in ANY way, he will and since its doctor's orders....Wow, such a sweet guy (sarcasm here) :-) In all seriousness, I would stand on my head right now to have this thing!

5. I have another appointment on the 1st. I will most likely be induced on the 3rd due to Baby J being a big one. SO...by next week, I may be a mom. Typing those words sounds so strange, yet super normal. I don't know how to describe it.

Well, the bag is packed, the nursing bras bought, the books read, the nursery ready (I PROMISE to post pics this week), the swings, bouncy seats and stroller assembled...now its time for my sweet baby boy to arrive!

Random "Getting to Know You"

I got this email from a friend today and thought since I didn't have a whole lot to blog today, I would go with this:

Welcome to the new 2010 edition of getting to know your familyand friends. Here is what you are supposed to do, and try not to be lame and spoil the fun. Change all the answers so that they apply to you.Then send this to a bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person whosent it to you.

1. What is your occupation right now? Customer Service Manager
2. What color are your socks right now Have on Uggs with no socks (Helllloooo swoll feet!)
3. What are you listening to right now? Phones ring
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Strawberry Yogurt Nutri Grain Bar 5. Can you drive a stick shift? No, almost broke up with my husband over trying to learn!
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My momma
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? I love her!
8. How old are you today? 27
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL!
10. What is your favorite drink? Unsweetened Ice Tea
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Um, no! The blonde is natural?
12. Favorite food? I know its gross, but I absolutely LOVE meatloaf
13. What is the last movie you watched? Its Complicated- Mom and I loved it!
14. Favorite day of the year? I am pretty sure Jag's bday will be my favorite!
15. How do you usually vent anger? I shut down and stew in private :-) Add a dash of "I'm FINES" and you have an angry Sallie!
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? My stuffed cat Ralph 17. What is your favorite season? Fall
18. Cherries or Blueberries? Blueberries (random?) 19. Living situation? Husband, soon to be baby boy and a very spoiled dog
20. When was the last time you cried? Yesterday when I saw my weight at the Dr. office! :-(
21. What is on the floor of your closet? LOADS of shoes...
22. What did you do last night? Watched some tv, hung out with the hubs
23. What are you most afraid of? Heights
24. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? I am soooo a cheese on anything person!
25. Favorite dog breed? I am partial to the maltese, but LOVE labs too! Any dog is GREAT!
26. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
27. How many states have you lived in? 3
28. Diamonds or pearls? Depends on the occasion, but mostly diamonds! 29. What is your favorite flower? Daisys
30. What kind of car do you drive? Pontiac Aztek, ugly but super comfy!

Ok, I know this is random, but its your turn! Get on it and let's learn some more about each other :-)

Breasts, Haircuts and Pack N' Plays

Breasts. Boobs. Boobies. Bubbies (Thank you NJ Housewives!).

Funny names for such a natural part. I think its hilarious that two body parts can catch the undivided attention of any male in a 10 mile radius- my husband included. Don't think that I don't notice him when an attractive woman with a low cut shirt shashays into a restaurant and his eyes follow...let's be honest, mine do too. There's just something about bubbies.

That being said...JM and I took a breastfeeding class this weekend. Hil. A. Rious...to see all the husbands who tagged along! I was so proud of them! While most fell asleep (I actually enjoyed counting the head bobs as one jolted awake approx. every 3 minutes), my husband paid attention and didn't giggle- not even once.

Although relatively disappointing (seems the class was almost a sales pitch to hire a lacatation consultant), they did show a really informative video with- you guessed it- breastfeeding techniques displayed. I guess I thought babies just know what to do- but its actually a learned behavior (which is why it seems to boggle and frustrate at times!).

My husband was actually paying attention (not just to the boob- but to what the video was saying) but when we got in the car, I got the biggest kick out of the one thing he pulled away from the class: He was amazed that somebody would let their wife breastfeed their baby on a video seen by so many people. I called him a prude, argued how natural it was and how uptight the US is, blah...blah...blah. He says, your boobs are for my eyes only- which is the reason I married you. Ha! A bit on the controlling side, but sweet in a weird way. Sigh.

After the breastfeeding debacle, we headed to get our hair did. I. cannot. express. how. happy. hair. dye. makes. me! I got the full treatment- dye, highlights, cut, eyebrows waxed. I can say with full confidence that I felt so much better and am almost ready to have this kid. Is it really only 3.5 weeks away!?!? JM got his hair trimmed- thank goodness! Even Gus got groomed- so I can say with 100% satisfaction that I have one good looking family at the moment :-)

In addition to the classes (BTW we are certified for 2 years in infant and child CPR- that's right, you know you want me to care for your kids! j/k), hair doings and bubbie talk, we were also productive in the house this weekend. We put together our new desk, got a new desk chair from Home Goods, and then decided to tackle the pack n' play.

Let me stop there. To all those non-mothers out there- if you get a pack n' play, don't be surprised if instructions are left out of the box and 2 hours of googling directions leaves you with comments from users such as "Easy to Assemble" and "Pretty Self Explanatory." Ok- I have never put one of these together! How was I supposed to know that you can't push the floor down before locking the sides? Really?!? Well, after walking away on Saturday (mostly to save our marriage), we attacked it again on Sunday and assembled to perfection. Now, I am not going to TOUCH on how to disassemble and get back in the case, but I figured we will cross that bridge when we get to it.

Next for baby J: Assemble swing, car seat, stroller, bouncy seat and finish hanging curtains. Once we get all this done- I will post some pics of the nursery. We did sailboats as a theme and it turned out so cute! I can't wait to get the little guy in there!

I have a doctor appointment today- having an ultrasound to see how big our boy is. They are predicting a 9.5-10 pound baby (I was 9.5 lb at birth- JM was 9 lb), so we are embracing that as truth, but HOPING (for my crotch's sake) that this is not accurate! Please think "SMALL" with me! Ha! In any case, we have much to discuss at this appointment, but I am so excited to see his little face on that screen.

Hope everyone has a great day! We are getting MORE snow today in Lexington- I am loving it!

10 things that make me happy this Friday!

My sweet friend, Laura, gave me a blog award and I have just now gotten to it! I apologize...but have been busy with large underwear and the like :-)

Here are 10 things that make me happy this Friday...

10. My large underwear. I know it upset me that they fit, but NOTHING is better than snug undies that don't wedge up. Relief is actually spelled H-A-N-E-S at the moment :-)

9. Snow. So what if Lexington shuts down with less than 3 inches? I. love. snow! Growing up in WI, my town of 600 actually has more salt trucks and plows than all of Lexington, but I think its the freak out involved that makes winter so fun here! I mean, really, schools shut down the night before it snows. Anticipatory snow closings = awesome.

8. My Ugg boots. Warm, comfortable and cute with leggings. What more can you ask for in a winter boot?

7. Great friends. I get a call or email or facebook message from someone every day. I may not have a ton- but I am grateful for the few good, rich, life enhancing friends I can always count on.

6. Palmers Tummy Butter. This product is amazing. I know I have a stretch mark (sigh, tear, still not over it!), but seriously, after looking at ads on facebook, this could be a LOT worse! Plus, it smells yummy.

5. Dairy Queen. I love sweets. Especially ice cream. Favorite blizzard? Oreo! Might have to get one of those tonight...

4. The Biggest Loser. Can we say obsessed? I love this show and feel so happy for the "losers" at the end of the show. Plus, how can people really lose 30 pounds in a week? I am inspired, baffled and jealous. Watching said show while eating DQ may be a large reason that I will be ready to diet immediately upon delivery :-)

3. My husband. Currently, he is: Supportive. Trying to learn how to cook. Attending breastfeeding classes. Rubbing my back. Telling me my stretch mark isn't that bad. Willing to put up with my weird habits and pregnancy snoring without complaint. Spending his Friday night putting a desk, pack n' play, baby swing and stroller together. So excited about becoming a daddy. I can't say enough how much I love him- this baby experience has only brought us closer and made me really appreciate him!

2. Blogs. The few minutes a day I get to follow up on the lives of others makes me so happy! I love hearing about other's days and something about peeking into lives while on a computer (i.e. anonymously and without gawking) is my dream. Love them and love all my bloggy friends!

1. And the thing that makes me MOST happy this Friday is...the fact that its Friday! TGIF people- I am off work for 2 full days!

Hope everyone has a great Friday! I will let you know how the classes go this weekend- fun times!

Huge Underwear and Breastfeeding, Another Pregnant Day....

Officially I am 35.5 weeks along. Meaning, in 4.5 weeks, Baby Jag will FINALLY be here!

The 35th week has marked some unfamiliar territory on the pregnancy front:

- I found a stretch mark. Not huge, granted, but a good 1 inch. And although its light and my husband (bless his heart) claims you can hardly see it, I find it glaring at me whenever I remove my shirt. A short trip to Walmart to load up on more tummy butter and palmers, 2 hours of tears and a restless night sleep and I am STILL distraught over this finding.

-I had to break down and buy some new underwear. Ugh. The maternity stores want like $15 for 3 pairs- which I find excessive. So what did I do? I went to Walmart and bought the biggest Hanes I could find. Removing them from the package, I thought to myself, these are HUGE! No way they would fit right? One washing cycle later and they are on a snug as a bug.




This isn't me- but you get the gist!

-Another fun purchase from Walmart was a nursing bra. They are only $12 vs. over $20 at a maternity store. Not. attractive. at. all.

-On the subject of nursing, I am going to try to breastfeed. I really know all the benefits, blah, blah but why am I really doing it? To be perfectly honest, I hope it helps make me one. skinny. bitch. Ha! Seriously, though, I am a bit worried as I have about 6 weeks leave from work after the baby and am not sure how the whole breastfeeding/working 40 hrs/childcare thing will work. Luckily, our local hospital offers a class on breastfeeding with tips on such things. I will let you know how it goes (P.S. JM is totally going with me- this should be interesting!)

-Most of my shirts (even maternity) are now too short. Seriously. Hard. to. get. dressed. for. work. I got some XL long sleeved tees from Walmart (I know, this seems to be shameless plug, but I went there yesterday and got ALL this stuff!) that actually fit good. They are supposed to not shrink- I'll let you know.

-I am getting my hair done tonight. Can I get an amen?!? What is it about a trip to the salon that makes even a whale like person feel better? So. Excited!!!!

That's pretty much all. JM and I are doing a CPR class Saturday for infants (He actually wanted to go- thought it would make him feel good to know this stuff! Isn't he great?) that goes through 8 years old. Hope its worth the $40!

Hope everyone is having a great day! We are getting snow in Lexington! I am so excited :-)

Happy New Years- Is it 2011 yet?

Again, sorry for the delay, but I will give you a short run down of my December so you understand my lack of blogging:

December 5, 12, 20- Baby Showers #1, 2, and 3. 2 in Lex, 1 in Cinci. Busy, Busy! Add to the 3 Christmas parties on the 12th and you have one busy Momma!

December 18-21- Momma, Sister and Brother in Law come to town. My sis and her hubs had to work over Christmas, so they came to celebrate early. Since I hadn't seen them since September (and have grown A LOT since then) we had a lot of catching up to do. Throw in the baby shower and I am spent. Sister and her hubs left Monday. Mom stayed for Christmas.

December 22- Dad comes to town and JM takes him to the UK game on the 23rd. Fun Times!

December 24-25- Dad turns 60 on Christmas Eve. We always go shopping (our tradition) that day and do dinner for his birthday. Christmas was spent with my mom and dad, JM's family (Mom, Dad, Sister, Aunt) and of course, all of our dogs (3 total!)

December 26- We got a call that day that my Grandma (Mom's mom) has had a stroke. Mom and Dad leave the 27th to fly to Tampa, FL where they live.

December 29-Today We get the news that Grandma is not going to make it. They will move her to hospice care for her remaining days on this Earth. Grandma is read her last rites by a Catholic priest and my mom is a mess. She has not passed away, but this is inevitable, as the damage is just too much. Due to my being 35 weeks along, I cannot travel. Did you know that airlines actually won't let you fly if you are within 30 days of your due date? Didn't matter, my doc wouldn't give me the OK to go either.

So, as you can see, the stress of the holidays, coupled with the impending loss of my only living Grandma (and a mere 5 weeks before Baby Jag is going to be here), working full time (got to save my time off for when the baby comes) and HUGE pangs of sadness, being scared, uncomfortable, etc....makes blogging a low priority. With all this going on, I have to ask- is it 2011 yet?

In all seriousness, I know 2010 has started with drama, but I know good things are in store. We are having a baby in 5 weeks! YEAH!!!! I am so excited, nervous, scared, pumped and just generally giddy about this. So, to lighten things up, below are so TERRIBLE pics of me from NYE. I thought about not posting these, but these figured, if you can't claim pregnancy as a reason you look HORRIBLE, then what's the point? Enjoy!

Melissa and I- she's a skinny bitch...and 17 weeks preggers! This is her first also- they will find out wat she's having in a couple weeks. We are so happy for them!

Me and the hubs- He has beer, I have sparkling cider :-)

Laura, Me and Jennifer- Great friends to ring in te new year with.

I told you I looked awful- please don't judge.

Hope everyone has a blessed year. I know that amidst all this chaos, good things are waiting. If God brings you to it, HE will bring you through it.

Love you all!

Sallie