Things I've learned since becoming pregnant

1. I can handle nausea. It's the vomitting without notice that gets me.

2. Matt's job is actually more gory than I thought.

3. Growing a human really does cause tiredness.

4. I miss chocolate more than I should.

5. Gaining weight because I'm pregnant lowers my self-esteem just as much as gaining weight because I'm lazy.

6. Eating pizza rolls for every meal SHOULD be socially acceptable.

7. I still am not a huge fan of being touched.

8. I don't have the pregnant glow that I expected. Unless the glow comes from my watering eyes as I vomit. But I don't think it does.

9. I haven't shopped for the baby like I thought I would. Other than a huge box of wipes that I bought the day I got a positive pregnancy test (that I've since given away) and a Sophie (for Christmas) I haven't bought anything for the baby. I hope that doesn't mean that I'm going to a cheap mom.

10. I'm not ready for this. At all.

The Christmas Creep

I'm not going to lie. I used to be one of those people that hated thinking about Christmas before Thanksgiving. I didn't not like that Christmas crept up a little earlier each year. HOWEVER. A few years ago I started listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but only when I was in my car by myself. I didn't tell anyone. It was my little secret. Now, I've changed.

I've decided to start celebrating Christmas early. Like now. No, I am not going to put my tree up until after Thanksgiving, but I am listening to Christmas music without guilt. This weekend, I'm going to put my TV on the Hallmark Channel and shamelessly watch Christmas movies. I'm not sure why the urge for Christmas has hit me so soon this year, but it might have to do with not being able to go home for Christmas. This year is going to be different. Next year is going to be WAY different, but I wasn't ready for it to change so soon. I guess that's just part of growing up...

Anyway. Now that I've wiped my eyes and can see through the tears to type, a few of my favorite Christmas songs!! Because I love Christmas AND I love lists.

In no particular order:

Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Oh Come Oh Come Emannuel.
Breath of Heaven
Christmas Offering (totally contemporary but I'm a huge fan.)
Baby, It's Cold Outside (don't judge! It's cute!)
Do You Hear What I Hear
The First Noel
Away In A Manger
Jingle Bells (again, don't judge)
O Holy Night


There, that's the short list. I will just leave it at that so I don't freak you out with my love of Christmas music. Josh Groban may or may not be singing about a little drummer boy from one of my five Christmas Pandora stations right now....

Keep Calm and "insert stupid verb phrase here"

It's been quite some time since I've been so annoyed with something to feel the need to blog about it. However, I've been spending more time on Pinterest these days for some reason and I've about reached my limit on some things. Specifically, the "keep calm" collection of "inspirational" signs.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of the original. I think it was a brillant move by the Brits. I see it and I take a deep breath and keep going. That's what the British government wanted their people to do before WW2. I'm for it.

What I'm not for, is all the deviations. Let me share a few of the ones that annoy me the most.

 

What does this even mean? Following the white rabbit didn't work out too well for Alice so I can't think that's what the makers of this ickiness want me to do.

 

Shopping is the absolute last thing I want to do when I'm frenzied. Shopping? No.

 

How exactly can one "be swag?" I'm pretty sure that one "has swag." I don't get it and I don't like it.

 

I think this one bothers me the most of these four. Get a tattoo? When has that ever solved a problem? Never. It should say "Keep Calm and Think About it Longer."

 

 

Okay, rant over. I just don't like deviations. I need to spend less time on Pinterest. 

Some not so great things about working from home

Awhile back I posted some of the things I love about working from home. Now, here are some things that I don't love about working from home. I know, I have a job, I shouldn't complain, but here it is.

I get lonely. Sure, I email and call work people but it just isn't the same as hanging out around the water cooler talking before the boss gets to work.

I feel guilty when I don't do housework while at home. Matt and I had a big talk when we were discussing our options. I told him that I wasn't going to do housework while I was "at work." Then I started working from home and now I do housework while at work. A load of laundry here, a unloaded dishwasher there, it happens. When it doesn't happen, I feel guilty. Because I'm at home.

I have to give my cell phone number to work people when I leave messages. I'm not a fan. But I do it. Because it's my job.

My chair at home isn't as comfortable as my old chair at work.

Okay, I'm tired of complaining. I just wanted cyberspace to know that there are always downsides to even the best of situations.

Rationalizing an Irrational Fear

One of my least favorite things about being a girl is the near constant grooming that has to happen for me to be socially acceptable. Whether it is putting on makeup, painting my nails, or straightening my hair, for the most part, I don't enjoy it. I do sometimes, but mostly it is just a pain. Along with the frustrating process that is trying to be pretty comes getting haircuts. It seems like once I find the ideal stylist (that's what they are called these days), she does something that annoys me or I have to move.

When I was growing up, we went to the lady that my mom picked out. Easy, peasy. When I was in college, I would try to go back to Monroe when I could for haircuts, but that just got to be too much of a hassle. After a few misfires, I found the perfect girl in Ruston. Then I moved. In law school, I tried to go back to Ruston when I could for my girl there, but it just wasn't feasible so I found a girl in BR. Actually, that was the easiest. The place was right near campus, the girl didn't try to sell me anything, and cut my hair exactly how I wanted it. Then, I moved again. I tried a few different places in Shreve. The first was close to work, but she kept trying to sell me things I didn't want or need. The second was kind of far away. The third place kept blowing fuses during my haircut. I never really found a good fit but it was okay, because then I moved again. Now, I am back in BR. My girl from before really is too far away now and I don't remember her name... When I realized that it was time for a haircut (based on how much I wanted to die when I wore my hair down), I nearly cried. I spent several days looking online, reading reviews, and thinking about how to get to Ruston during the work week. Eventually, I just bit the bullet and made an appointment. I chose a higher-end chain of salons reasoning that the stylist would have to meet the strict standards of that brand to work at the salon. Regardless, I just knew that when I showed up for my appointment, I'd end up getting stuck with an untalented Edward Scissorhands.

I mean, what if she was having a bad day? What if she doesn't know how to cut my hair type? What if "she" is a "he" and a man cuts my hair? What if I hate it? What if they cut too much? What if they try to sell me products? What if they say I have awful hair? What if I'm late and they get mad at me?

I know, a bunch of irrational fears all tied to my fear of getting a haircut. I get clammy hands for days leading up to appointments, even after I've gone to the same person several times. It's ridiculous I know.

BUT.

If I have a bad haircut, then I have to deal with how to not be embarrassed when I go out in public. If they try to sell me things then I have to say no while feigning interest to I don't hurt their feelings, but I can't show too much interest or they won't stop asking. If they cut too much then I'll look like a boy. If I'm late then they won't cut my hair and I'll have to start all over.

I can rationalize anything.

In the end, my haircut turned out alright. I think. However, they tried to sell me way too many things so I'll mark that place of my list of potentials. I just get all anxious thinking about my next haircutting adventure. Here's hoping I can last another three months without one. At least.

Let's talk about spelling.

I'm awful at spelling. Not as awful as my brother, Jeffrey, but awful. Because I'm in a list making mood, here's a short list of words that trouble me.

1. definetely.  Is that spelled right? Nope. It should be definitely.  Apparently I like to define-it-lee. Which is fine by me.

2. refrigerator. Op! I spelled that right on the first try. Normally, I add a 'd' in there for fun.

3. diesel. One would think that a girl who drives an Impala needn't worry about how to spell that word. But one would be wrong. I'm a trucking defense attorney. I need to know how to spell 'diesel' without waiting for the squiggly red line to correct me.

4. surprise. Nope, I don't pronounce the first 'r' either, but it's in there. Or so Webster's tells me.

5. september. I DO know how to spell this word, but my fingers don't. My fingers add a pesky 'n' where there should not be one. It's annoying.

Um, I'm kind of tired of listing my spelling failures so I am going to stop.

Just know that when I misspell words, it isn't for lack of knowledge that I have a problem. It was my lack of caring about spelling in grade school. Please don't ask me to see my handwriting. I missed that lesson in school too.

The Top TEN things...

About working from home.

With no kids.

I've been working from home with my old firm since moving to the BR. It's been a huge benefit to me because I haven't found the perfect job down here yet. AND, it's been a benefit to my old firm, because they haven't had to find a replacement yet... I've compiled a list of the top ten things I like about working from home without kids in the picture. I'm sure that people that work from home WITH kids have quite a different list.

10.   It's cheaper. I don't have to spend gas driving to work.

9.    I get to deduct my home office at tax time. Matt and I need every tax break we can get.

8.   No traffic. I don't have to wait for a million other people to go through a traffic signal. I don't have to deal with a single car in the morning. Or in the evening. Or ever.

7.   I don't have to blow dry or straighten my hair if I don't want to. Or wear makeup. I promise, I do still wear anti-perspirant.

6.  I get to stay in bed until about 7:30. 7:30. Yep.

5.   I can take a bubble bath in the middle of the day if I want to. With my new whirlpool tub, I find myself wanting to get in the bubbles more often than I probably should...

4.    I don't have to worry about making and taking my lunch. I can just walk the thirty feet to the kitchen at lunch time and take care of lunch then. It's great.

3.   I get to hang out with Giselle all day. Granted, she sleeps most of the time, but I do feel better about being able to let her go outside during the day instead of just locking her up in her kennel. Today, though, this should probably be number 10 because she is off pouting somewhere for absolutely no reason and completely ignoring me. I swear, I didn't do anything to her.

2.   I can wear whatever I want. T-shirt and gym shorts, my pajamas, whatev. It's glorious.

1.    And perhaps the best thing about working from home: I can have a badittude without concern about hurting anyone's feelings or being asked about my mood. For someone who is no longer a morning person, this is HUGE.
Trust me, there are about a million other benefits to working from home, but there are some drawbacks. I don't like to think about those too much lest I get the urge to job hunt.

I know, you're jealous. I understand. I'd be jealous too.