Finally!!
Topic: Me!
Write it down people. . .Thursday, 11:00am CST, I will have this hideous gallbladder removed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bring on the food!! I seriously don't know what I'll eat first. . .I've been deprived of any food with fat for. . . .F.I.V.E.W.E.E.K.S. There may be tears as I sample the first savory bite. Oh yeah, definitely tears b/c what else better is there to do besides cry in a drug induced state????

I go to my OB/GYN tomorrow morning for my 14 week checkup. We'll see what the brick-wall-of-a-nurse says. My blood pressure has been up and my weight down. I believe I'll also ask about an u/s to check on "Dot" after surgery. And while we're looking to make sure that her arms are in the correct spot, might as well see if she's really a she right?? ;)

I would greatly appreciate all the prayers and thoughts you can muster to send to the great state of Oklahoma on Thursday. And now I'm being summoned by my child. He's singing something about Odie's truck. Oh!! And 10 minutes until AFV comes on!! Peace out.

A quick note
I am lucky enough to have both Chris & Cale with me today on Valentine's Day. BUT, I just want to wish a Happy Valentine's Day to everyone. Those with special loves - hug them close, those waiting for their special love - hopefully next V-Day you'll be together, those who have lost their special love - cherish the memories, and even those so ticked off at the person they should love the most that they are thinking of cutting each bud from the thorny stem and busting the vase on his car - to each his own. :) I pray that each of you find happiness and peace, no matter what your situation is.

Now go have 5 chocolates for me - I'm here with dry chicken and pretzels.

Oh my heart!
Topic: Momma's Lover Dover
I seriously love him. . .no. . .REALLY love him. He's just the cutest most hard headed kid I know. But, I call him Lover for a reason!! Here are some examples of why. AND, if you have a weak heart, you might not want to continue reading b/c your heart will flutter flitter flutter with his overwhelming cuteness.

I had a headache the other night and Chris told Cale that momma's head hurt. He walked over to me, grabbed my head and kissed my head saying, "Kisses. There, momma head all better now." (just wait, it keeps going!)

At the beginning of this week when I went to get him from his room, I walk in and he pats my belly and says, "Momma, Cale go hospital, get baby sister today." How sweet is that?!?! AND, on the topic of the baby, he will also go get the doppler we rented and tell us that he wants to hear baby sister thump thump. (ok, we have NO clue if it's a girl or not, but Cale insists it's his sister!)

And yesterday, we were rocking in daddy's chair and he said, "Rock rock baby." I said, "Well, you'll need to go get your baby so we can rock him." He pats my stomach and says, "Cale rock rock baby sister in momma's belly."

And my last two examples. Background info for you - since Cale was born, when he's sleeping or on a blanket, he has ALWAYS felt the blanket/sheet/whatever with the back of his hand. He'll just rub it all over whatever he's touching and I guess it soothes him or something. So, I have my favorite nightgown that's long, and it's that really thin white cotton, like a summer gown. I LOVE IT!! I was wearing it and went to take my robe off so I could change clothes and Cale stops dead in his tracks. He looks at me and says, "Momma! Pretty!!" and sticks his hand out to rub my gown. I quietly said, "What did you say??" And he pats my gown then rubs it and says, "Momma pretty!" Then last night, he came to give me night night kisses and hugs. I picked him up and he kissed me and then rubbed the back of his hands on my face and said, "Momma feel good!" Is that child just not the epitomy of sweetness?!?!? Just remind me of that when he's screaming, "CALE BE NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" as he stomps off to time out. ;)

Holy smokes
Topic: Weirdness
So last night we're waiting for Cale to wake up from his nap. . .wait, how many entries do I start out with the word "So. . ." b/c I might need to find another more fitting word. But I digress.

It's Ma's birthday and we are meeting the whole clan for dinner (what will Piper eat?!?!? MORE DRY CHICKEN!?!?!?!?) and Chris, of course, is FrEaKiNg out about the time. Hi, yes, we have 45 minutes before we need to be there and it only takes 15-20 minutes to get there. CHILL OUT!

I'm a HUGE ABC watcher and the commercial comes on for World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. As I cram some bubble wrap around the picture of Cale for Ma, I hear him say, "Blogging. Should you be fired for things that you say in your personal online journal?" I look up at Chris without missing a beat and laugh and say, "Ha!! They've been dooced!!!" And Chris was all, "Huh??" And I go on to explain that in my daily blog lurking, I read a blog named Dooce written by Heather, a friend of a friend of a friend (ya know that kind) and she got fired from her job for her blog, BUT, the key here, is that b/c of being out of town, slightly busy and pregnantly tired, I haven't kept up with my daily blog readings, I missed the announcement that SHE WAS FEATURED IN THE REPORT!!!!!!

Read it for yourself! Interesting huh???? Definitely something to ponder for those in the working world. As for myself, I'd LOVE to see Chris fire me over things written here. He's scared to death that I'll take off again on a weekend or shoot, 3 days to Tulsa without taking Cale. OH THE HUMANITY OF IT ALL!!! ;) Wouldn't want the boys to have any bonding time now would we?? Yep, let the two of them fire me. Then the world would come crashing down when Chris couldn't find Cale's milk and Cale could be smelled before he could be seen. FIRE ME!!! I DARE YA!!!

Oh YIKES!!!
Topic: Weirdness
So I've been sick and not a happy camper. I was told to rest yadda yadda yadda and one day, ended up here in front of the trusty Dell. Now. . .the only word to describe it is OBSESSED!!!!!! Seriously. It's worrisome.

It's a game called Zuma and I've been trying to hide my addiction to it from Chris and everyone else. But for those that went with me down the Lemonade Tycoon road, you know I won't steer you wrong.

Let me also say this. DO NOT EMAIL/POST TO ME WITH COMPLAINTS THAT YOUR LIFE/JOB/KIDS ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE YOU ARE NOW CAUGHT UP IN ZUMA MANIA. THIS IS NOT MY FAULT. LET THIS SERVE AS A WARNING TO YOU.

Now, have fun!! *insert evil snickering laugh here*

ELEVEN
Topic: Me!
11. . .11. . .11 is one short of a dozen. 11 is the number after ten and before 12. 11 is how old I was when I was in sixth grade. But also, 11 is how many pounds I've lost since Dec 30!!!!!!! 11!!!! Do you get that??? E.L.E.V.E.N. I thought pregnant people were supposed to GAIN weight. Oh no, not when you tell them they can't eat anything worthwhile. I'm so chicken and turkey'd out that the thought makes me gag!!!!

So I'll leave you with it one more time. Eleven.

Pregnancy and gallbladder = the new fad diet

The new saying
Topic: Momma's Lover Dover
Well, the bad luck strikes again and I am now sick. I seriously didn't think life could get any worse, but boy was I wrong. So poor Chris had to take today off of work to let me try and regain some of my former being and to help handle the child that knows his momma doesn't feel good, has a runny nose himself, and REFUSES to listen to a thing I say.

I slept until 10 this morning. . .yes, Michelle, a slugabed! ;) I fall out of bed to see Chris and Cale in the living room watching one of Cale's Baby Einstein movies in their jammies. After an hour of sitting there, Chris tells Cale it's time to get dressed. Off they go leaving me in my robe with my lonely box of kleenex. All of a sudden, they call me into Cale's room. I walk in and Cale looks at me and says, "You 'anna piece dis????" I stood there in shock and then finally said, "Did you ask me if I wanted a piece of this????????" Cale and Chris both burst into laughter. Isn't that lovely??? My son will now be picking fights by cocking his blonde head and saying, "You 'anna piece dis????" But man, it sure is funny!

Would this be considered another affirmation as to why we suck as parents??

A belated birthday
No, I didn't forget his birthday yesterday. Numerous times I fought back tears and forced myself to smile and go about my day. I just didn't want to deal with it ya know? I also, didn't call anyone, especially my Grandma, to see how they were doing. I saw my dad at his house, we laughed and talked and watched Raymond, but I could feel it in his kiss and his hug as I left and I rushed out the door so he couldn't see me break down.

So although it's a day late, I sure didn't forget. And it was SO hard to celebrate Carly's the day before, knowing that there was an empty spot in the house.

---

You know how much we love you,
you know how much we care,
and although we cannot see you,
we know that you are there.
I often look at pictures,
remembering you here,
and long to hug you so hard,
a warm embrace so dear.
I told Cale it was your birthday,
I swear, he understands,
as he sang a happy birthday song,
and joyfully clapped his hands.
I hope you got my birthday wish,
I sent a hug and kiss up too,
And as hard it was for all of us here,
I know it was an extra special birthday for you!

---

Happy birthday in heaven Grandpa. I hope you got an extra big glass of milk with your cake. . .and please tell me it wasn't dateloaf!! I love you!!!

Beware, I'm going to complain
Topic: Me!
Remember how I said that I sometimes question God's plan?? Well, I've found myself doing it again. Have I not had enough stuff to go through?? I mean really??

Has anyone reading ever suffered a gallbladder attack?? Not a mild one, but one that rips you from a deep sleep, grips you in panic, makes you pray you won't die, then leaves you praying that maybe you will die to relieve the misery?? One that feels like a major heart attack??? Well, I had the unfortunate pleasure of living that exact thing on Sat morning. The pain ranked right next to the hour and a half of labor with Cale with NO epidural in sight. And the attack was only half as long. It also included the hysterical crying, the writhing in bed and the death clutch on Chris as I whispered, "Bubba help me!!"

I spent 3 hours at the afterhours clinic by our house (in hopes of escaping our new horrendous deductible at the ER) and have been told to get a gallbladder ultra-sound to confirm gallbladder problems, then go see my OB to decide what to do with the thing. Unless I have ANOTHER attack. *insert picture of ticking time bomb here*

I knew surgery was an option and it scared me to death (although, in comparison to the attack, maybe just frightened me for a nanosecond is a better way to put it). But as the weekend progresses, I'm actually welcoming the idea of surgery. The memory of the attack is actually making my fear of a subsequent attack worse. I also found out that if it goes untreated or gets even more diseased, this can lead to pancreatitis. People. . .we just delt with this with Grandpa and I REFUSE to go there again. YANK THIS SUCKER OUT!!

Looks like tomorrow will be a pretty eventful and busy day. One filled with more bland food as my mouth waters at the string cheese Cale inhales and at the pictures of beautiful burgers on tv.

Oh yeah. . .Happy Birthday Carly!!!!!!!!!!!!

Want to annoy me??
Topic: Me!
As I was falling into bed last night, I got annoyed. Then it escalated and the list grew so I thought I'd blog it here so that you all can know what NOT to do when I'm in your presence! ;)

Things that annoy me:

Ask me how my butt is.

Ask for a bite of my sandwich then spit it right back out. On top of my sandwich.

Tell me, "Ya know, What's Her Name is 4 months pregnant and she's STILL wearing HER regular clothes."

Straighten the bed out on your side, just pushing all the toys and folded laundry to my side.

Start a sentence out with, "I don't want this to come across as mean, but. . ."

Tell me that my child isn't socialized enough even though you've only known him a whole 5 minutes.

Try to explain the benefits of all the bad crap I've been through in the past month - yeah, is it really a good thing that Grandpa died, Grandma has cancer, Grandma had surgery for cancer and now Grandma is undergoing chemo, all since Thanksgiving?? Don't quite see the benefits of THOSE things.

Keep cutting your hair shorter and shorter and still call me upset about 1. Why you look fatter and 2. Why your hair won't grow.

There, ya got all those?? ;) And yes, my butt still hurts!!