Mission Accomplished.

I finished my first wedding cake!!

Amber, bless her heart, trusted me enough to allow me to do her wedding cake - and while I'd love to show you all 67 pictures I took of it, I refuse to steal this bride's thunder and will allow her to enjoy her honeymoon and have time to post her own pictures before I do.  I will, however e-mail you one if you are just dyyying to see it.

I actually had the privilege of going back to the reception hall and cutting the cake for everyone.  Amber looked beautiful and the place was set up very nicely in her Christmas-y theme!  I loved it.  Girl, thanks so much for letting me be a part of your big day - even if it was just a small one!

Now that I've done a big cake, I can officially say that I love it!  I was worried that wedding cakes might not be my style, but it was great!  It, obviously, takes more preparation and a few days work instead of just one night, but it is pretty cool and very rewarding.

Baby Update:

I'm 32 weeks today - thirty-two weeks.  Eight months.  Holy moly.

The baby boy is currently doing jumps off the high dive or some kind of somersault in my belly causing the whole thing to move.  It's an interesting experience.  My belly "dropped" this past week - it is significantly lower than it was.  I'm convinced he's coming early for some reason.  I guess from all these Braxton Hicks contractions I've been having and what not.  I just want him to wait at least 4 more weeks!!

I haven't taken on any more cakes since I am so far along and don't want to risk not being able to finish the cake because I'm in labor!  I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do with my life until he gets here now! I have done at least one cake a week for the last 10 weeks or more, and it will be very strange not to come home and get started on a new one!  I think it will be a much needed break before my little man gets here - but once he does, and I'm all-clear we'll be right back at it!  Cakes are what I want to do!

I'm hoping to write more over the next few weeks - I have lots of topics in my mind that I want to write about.  So stay tuned!

Ramble On.

I can't sleep anymore.  My new car had leather seats put in it today, and it's purdy.  Work stresses me out like no other.  I temporarily have lost partial vision twice in my pregnancy.  Yeah.  Men see colors different than women.  Coral pink and orange are not the same thing.  Just like lavender and light blue are not the same thing.  I failed my sugar test last week so I have to go back next Wednesday and take the 4 hour test - probably gonna fail that too if I had to guess.  I can't wait to hold my son.  It makes me tear up to say, "my son."  I'm making my first wedding cake in 18 days.  I'm nervous and excited.  I just bought my dog a $27 embroidered stocking that matches the ones Nate and I have.  I really like decorating for Christmas.  I like listening to Trans-Siberian Orchestra even more.  I have amazing in-laws.  I really can't imagine life without Nate's family.  Of course, mine is awesome, too.  I still haven't seen New Moon.  This is upsetting.  Now that I've seen "pictures" of my baby boy, I have no idea what I want to name him anymore.  Not being able to sleep makes me delirious - especially in the morning.  I'm ready to wear jeans that actually button.  I do not like maternity pants.  Even though I've been through some pretty bizarre and scary things in the last 7+ months, I wouldn't say I've had a "bad" pregnancy and would do it all again in a heartbeat.  I really need to go attempt to sleep.  I hope y'all have a good week!

Meet Little Man!

Here he is in 4-D, and I hate to start bragging but...how FrEaKiNg cute is he!? I love him already!  Nate sure can't deny him, because he already looks like him!  He also looks a little like my brother from some angles and has my facial expressions.  Crazy we can see that already, huh!?  When we were having the ultrasound it was more like a live video instead of pictures, and the way he moves his mouth looks just like me.  He looked really mad a few times and well, that's when he looked like his Mama! 

It's hard to fully comprehend that this little thing is growing inside of me.  It is so wonderful to feel him move and kick - at 2.5 pounds he can't hurt me...yet! 

I had two family showers this weekend (Nate's famililes on both sides are HUGE so we split them up) and seeing all of the little outfits, receiving blankets and bibs has me itchin' to hold my little man. 

I'm feeling better - still having Braxton Hicks, but not nearly as frequent.  Looks like I'm just gonna have these until he gets here!  I guess it's good practice! 

Can't wait to kiss these little feet!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

I'm not entirely sure there is a whimsical way to introduce this story, so I'm  just gonna tell it like it is since basically no one knows...

Saturday night I started having some right-sided abdominal pain (think where your appendix is) and chalked it up to a pulled muscle.  I mean after all, I had been super nice and sat in the back of a two-door car - super stupid.  Anyway, that pain continued constantly and became unbearable to a mental breaking point for me after going to bed Monday night - so Nate and I called the doctor  around 12:30a and they told me to come in immediately.

Once hooked up to all the monitors (which was pretty immediate,) it was very clear that I was having contractions every 3.5/4 minutes.  These contractions only hurt because of the right sided pain, but were otherwise painless.  The nurses eyes grew wide when they saw how often and consistently they were coming, so my cervix was checked and hallelujah - it was still closed.  Everyone breathed a sigh of releif and it was on to the side pain. 

Basically, I spent the night in Labor & Delivery and heard two little ones cry their first little cry in this world while being taken to the nursery.  It was beautiful. 

I was given pain meds for the side and in hopes of easing the contractions.  They didn't slow - so I was given a shot which stopped them altogether. I was released about 10 hours after we got there after being re-hydrated and having the pain under control.  The side pain is the infamous "round ligament pain."  Fine.  I suspected that all along, but it was the contractions that were causing it to be unbearable for so long and what were cause for concern.

I can't wait to see my peanut...but not yet!  I need him to cook a little longer.  I have a new perspective on having him now.  I honestly don't see myself making it all the way until February 13, but I will pray every day that he is a healthly strong little boy and stays in as long as he wants!

When the nurse said the words, "we need to see if you are going to be having him within the next few weeks" Nate and I were floored and in shock.  We've realized now how much we have to do: birthing plan (wtf is that, really?) we don't have a carseat, not one single bottle, no crib - we're totally unprepared!  But, we're not really supposed to be yet!  This is not to say that we are planning on him coming early, but all of the sudden the, "oh my gosh we're having a real baby" has hit us and we both would like to be more prepared - at least mentally.

As of today, the right-sided muscle pain is better, but I am still having some Braxton Hicks contractions pretty consistently.  Thankfully, I have a doctor's appointment today anyway so I have a list of things to ask the doctor.  After my gestational diabetes test...I get to see my peanut!!! Today is the 4-D Ultrasound and I am PUMPED.  I haven't "seen" him since September 4th - and I can't wait.  I'll try to post some pictures after we get them.

Right now, I just ask for your prayers for little man. He's fine and in NO WAY in distress (he's actually very healthy and active,) I just want to be sure he bakes a little longer :)  I also have a lot on my plate coming up as far as cakes.  I'm booked until Dec. 19th (the wedding cake!!!!) and am so excited about all of these opportunities - I'm just going to need a couple of prayers a long the way.  And no, I wasn't given any restrictions or written out of work, they told me to continue life as normal.

I'll keep you guys posted and will hopefull get some pics up of that ultrasound soon!

Well, I tried.

Hey long, lost blogger friends!  After much debate with myself - I have decided not to discontinue this blog and start over.  After all, if someone is really that interested in my cakes and my life...so be it.  You can google my name and the blog will pop up anyway, so I will just be careful what I post - as I always have. 

I have truly missed writing, but oh-my-gosh have I been busy.  Not only have I been preparing for the baby, but I have had literally 3 or more cakes a week since I last wrote.  Such a blessing!  But also very tiring.

In baby news - I'm in my third trimester now!!!  Holy schnikes!  I'm doing better with the hypoglycemia and have learned to eat appropriately.  Of course I still mess up from time to time, but I'm doing better!  Our 4-D ultrasound is in two weeks, and I can't wait to see my little man again!  I also have my gestational diabetes test (which we already know I DON'T have, but pray I don't fail it falsely!)

Nate painted the nursery last night and I love it!  I'll post some pics as soon as there is something in there to actually look at!  We had our first shower Nov. 1 (oh the blues and greens!) so we have things, just no furniture.

Well, I must go ice a cake - but it feels good to be back!

Under Construction!  Please check back later!

I am not one to mumble and mutter and moan on about what's going wrong in my life...while it's going wrong, so I have been absent the past few days. First off, Peanut is totally fine so everyone breathe.

I have been having some serious issues with eating for the last week, two weeks...by that I mean - I eat food, and then 30 -45 minutes later my heart POUNDS out of my chest, causing me not to be able to breathe, I feel heavy and I nearly pass out. I called my doctor last Tuesday and told them my symptoms, they said increase your protein because your blood sugar is causing you to crash. Fine. So I do that. Thursday I had the worst episode yet and could not breathe properly for two hours. After the first hour I called the doctor and they told me to get in there as soon as I could - well that scared the shiz out of me. A friend from work took me to the doctor where blood work and such were tested.

Basically, I have problems with blood sugar. It's not gestational diabetes, if anything it's the exact opposite. When I eat, my blood sugar sky rockets, and the "crash" is what I am feeling, causing the racing heart, inability to breathe, etc. I have to minimize my carbohydrate intake (significantly) and pretty much cut out sugars. Thankfully, I don't like sweets that much, but the two times I've crashed the hardest were after grape jelly and apple juice. Yeah, yeah - it f'ing sucks.

I've spent the past 5 days trying to figure out what I can and can't do, and more often than not, I have failed. Sugars get me - bad. Carbs are okay minimally, and I mean like a TINY bit of mashed potatoes. Eating smaller portions helps the most. If I basically eat like 4 almonds here, a tiny Nutrigrain bar there it doesn't happen.

I like to eat. I like to eat a lot. So I had a small breakdown, but peanut will be worth it. Like I say, he's fine - they checked his heart rate and I feel him move all the time. It's just mommy who has to suffer this time. I already prefer it that way. So here's hoping it's only temporary or at least goes away after the baby boy gets here. I'm trying to look on the bright side - at least I'll minimize weight gain as well, because well no Thanksgiving and Christmas sweets for me! Just protein, protein, protein!

p.s. My hands are a little swollen so I had to take off my wedding rings today. So now not only do I look like I'm 15 and pregnant - I now look like I'm 15, pregnant and not married. Fantastic. haha!

That's it! I'm moving to Canada.

I just stumbled across this information regarding the maternity leave policy in Canada. I've always had an issue about the American maternity leave - 6 weeks is just not enough to bond with a child that you just birthed. It's just not. NOW, after reading this. I think I may move to Canada for my next child. Bring on the maple syrup!

"Maternity benefits are paid for 15 weeks, and only a birth mother is eligible to receive these benefits. Even surrogate mothers, or those whose babies do not survive, may apply. Parental benefits are paid for 35 weeks, and partners and adoptive parents may receive these benefits as well. If parents share benefits, the total between them may not exceed 50 weeks. In addition,there is a 2-week waiting period on the shared claim, so the total time away from work is 52 weeks..."

http://www.strocel.com/canadian-maternity-leave/

52 weeks? FIFTY-TWO WEEKS. That's a year, folks. And I get SIX? And two of those six are my PTO. WTF, man!? I don't blame my work, of course, because this is a standard policy in the US but DANG we need to do something about this. I think I shall now write a scathing letter to my Congressman.

f.i.f.t.y.t.w.o.w.e.e.k.s.

Update on Peanut.

So - I went for another prenatal appointment this Wednesday, and after measuring me for the first time they've basically determined that I'm farther along than initially thought....meaning he may be here sooner! Ahh!

When we went for the ultrasound at 17 weeks, peanut measured 8 days ahead but they chalked it up to operator error because moving one millimeter means days worth in measuring a baby, but I'm measuring 1.5cm ahead, too - so now it's a lot more probable that I really am farther along! They haven't officially changed my due date but the doc said he totally thinks peanut will be here earlier in February. My bet is on Super Bowl Sunday. (Feb. 7)

Of course, it's all speculation anyway and I might just be having a big baby - but we're all so anxious to meet our little man that thinking he might be here sooner is really exciting :)

"Fetching..."

I have a confession to make...I was a jerk today. (Who, me?) Yes, me. I was the jerk who wasn't paying attention when the light turned green because I was too busy reading everyone's status updates on facebook causing who knows how many cars to miss the light. Birds flying. Horns honkin'.

Okay it was only for a split second that I wasn't paying attention and no one really flipped me off or blew their horn, but I'm being dramatic here, okay!?

So anywho, once I regain the football field between me and the car in front of me, I got to thinkin' (you know, I think I'm going to name my car "Dawn" because I seriously have 90% of my epiphanies in the car) when the hell did I get so wrapped up in other people's statuses? Do I really CARE? Is it a habit? Boredom? Am I afraid I'm going to miss the newest gossip on what people had for lunch, how awful they feel, how they wish it was Friday already, how they wish their entire weeks away for a weekend (you know, one day they're going to wish they had that droopy, sucky Monday back when their days are limited - but that's for another post).

I recently resolved to only check status updates on my Blackberry 3 times a day between 8 a.m and 6 p.m - once I'm home I can press refresh on my computer until my little finger is sore and soak up all the statuses my brain can take. I allow - once on the way to work when I'm sitting in traffic for one poorly placed light for 15 minutes. Once at lunch, and once on the way home (enter said jerk) while sitting and sitting and sitting on every road I turn "Dawn" on.

This obsession of knowing whats going on with the 480some-odd friends that I have on facebook dates back longer than I even really realized. I remember my computer illiterate ex-boyfriend getting SO mad at me because I spent so much time tooling through AIM looking at "those stupid yellow thingys" beside all of my Away friends screenames. Did I really need to know their quote of the day or the song they liked at the moment? Nope. Sure didn't. Didn't learn a thing from it ('cept for maybe some good gossip).

I have come to terms with the fact that I am a facebook stalker. I'm one of many, and the sooner people can admit that they, indeed, stalk too - we can take a step in the right direction towards getting back to our own lives and the things that matter the most...

Ahhh - who am I kidding? It's so much fun to know what's going on in people's lives! I don't know why! I don't know what the draw is!? It's like we just. gotta. wanna. needa. getta. hava STATUS UPDATE.

I am totally off my rocker today.