Taking the Scenic Route

In search of a maternity shirt for my shape-changing belly.

After discovering that Old Navy, JCPenney, and a few other places that carry plus size maternity, did NOT carry them in their actual stores (online and catalog ony), I discovered that Motherhood Maternity had some in their store.  WooHoo!  They had sizes up to 3x.  They didn’t have a huge selection or anything, but it was decent.  I found something that was nice and comfy and looked decent on me.  It used up the last of our cash (except $5-10), but I needed SOMETHING.  I wanted to look pregnant and not just plain huge. lol.  I am not particularly vain, but the only thing I owned that didn’t have holes and fit at the same time was the shirt my MIL gave me.  It wasn’t maternity, but it was 3x, so I still had room in it, but it was the ONLY thing I had I was willing to be seen in public with.  So, now I have two shirts.  In a few days I hope to have time to go by the goodwill and maybe get a few things online since a few places are having sales.  It was nice to walk into a store and actually try on the clothes though.

Whoever designed the changing rooms in the place did NOT have kids.  They had stalls with curtains, located in the middle of the store, across from the cash register.  Zane couldn’t decide whether to stay with me, or go play outside with daddy, and there was no door to stop him.  A 3 year old lacks the ability to consider that not everybody wants to see mama standing there in her bra. lol.  What was even funnier, is when I was dressing, a sales clerk just walked right in to the room to pick up some stuff she left on the bench.  I was like “hello?”  She freaked out and couldn’t apologize enough.  It was pretty funny.  When I re-emerged, she started apologizing again, and I stopped her, laughing, saying that she might have freaked out a first-time pregnant mama, but once you have kids, you just don’t care as much and not to worry.  I wasn’t the least bit upset.

The other funny moment was when I was checking out.  They asked me if I wanted to be on the mailing list for Similac and Huggies.  I said no.  They went on to explain what it meant to be on the mailing list, I repeated no.  They kept asking if I was sure and seemed totally blown away.  lol.  I told them I breastfeed and cloth diaper, I have no use for Huggies or Formula.  It would just require more work for me because I would have to find a place to donate them in the middle of winter, with a newborn and 3yo in tow.  lol.  (I am sure I will still get samples from the hospital, but there is no way I feel like dealing with the 4-6 cases (4 cans of formula in each) of formula I got at Zane’s birth)  BTW, for those who are planning on formula feeding, mark that you will be breastfeeding…they will send you a lot more samples than they sent to moms they know formula feed.

Did the ‘drive around town for the jerky social worker’ thing today.  It was HOT out.  WSU was amazingly easy.  We didn’t even have to go into the bowels of the office, the secretary happily gave us a print out.  Zach was going to pick up his teacher evaluations, but nobody was in the office and he forgot his keys.  bummer.

Got to the SRS office. Had to park a few blocks away, but after living on the coast, it isn’t really that big of a deal.  Just a long way since we have been spoiled by the park-in-front-of-the-door phenomena that is the norm for Kansas.  The line was long, and the toy box was empty, and there were no kids books in the book rack.  fun times.  The secretary wouldn’t let me see Mr. Jerk, but after asking if his supervisor was available, she made me an appointment for tomorrow.  I am still going to call around tomorrow and figure out who his supervisor is and get an appointment.   She also gave me yet another interim report to fill out since mine was stuck in the mail between their office and my house and I had to turn it in with my payroll information.  Trying to fill out a 4 page document from memory in a hot loud office an a bored 3yo is so much fun.  grrrrrrr.

Finally got out of there and went to the mall in search of a maternity shirt.  (and I will finish this in a public post)

Paperwork BS AGAIN!

We got a notice today, on the 9th, that was mailed on the 8th, that has to be returned by the 10th, or they are going to CLOSE our food stamps case.  JERK!

They are requesting information that we have already provided.  (paycheck info)  It also notes that we are going to be receiving our interim report that we already turned in to fill in something we supposedly missed, and that has to be turned in tomorrow too.  We haven’t received it yet. 

I despise this guy.

Since there is no time to get paycheck information in person from one of the jobs, we asked if he could email us the info.  Thank goodness he is a nice guy and did so.  He just put the total instead of itemized, so I hope it is acceptable.  The other paycheck information that they need..we have already given them our paycheck stubs.  We don’t have them any more.  We are hoping that if we go into the office tomorrow at the school, they will be able to give us a print out of some kind.  I suspect that should work ok…it is a state system and the gal we need to go to get help is nice, so they will probably be able to find something for us. 

What a PAIN though!

In the blog world

Some celebration is in order for Marie. She has had a rough couple of months and finally, a reason to celebrate!

Pamelamama is on vacation, visiting her sister for the birth of her niece.  Hoping all goes well for them!

Mamafish has one of the sweetest sleeping slinging baby photos I have seen in a long time.  She just looks so safe and comfy in there!

Willowbeansmama, on the other hand, is going through some scary stuff right now and could use some support and encouragement

Beth also had a strange mix of symptoms recently that had her in the ER during the pregnancy.  I am hoping it is nothing, but it would have scared the poop out of me!

another Jennifer is dealing with a painful spinal injury.  She has been going through so much lately…we were due about the same time, but she miscarried. 

I also have 2 friends who could use a few prayers.  One is facing IVF treatments, but only has a limited number she is able to do.  They have been ttcing for a while already and have already been through several failed AIs.  Another is a 1st trimester pregnant mama…a prayer for healthy pregnancies and peace of mind for both of these special women would be welcome.

2 more days until I know if I will need pink clothes or blue clothes!  I sure hope the little one isn’t shy!  Honestly, I am more concerned that they will find something wrong, but I think that is sort of normal for me.  I am always a little jumpy about pregnancy stuff.

I can’t think of much else. lol.  I just want to see the babe again.

50-50 chance here, but I am thinking boy.

BBQ at Roberts

Robert at the grill.  (much ribbing for the apron, I might add)

Me and Dori

Little Eilysh (Robert & Dori’s youngest)

My Zach looking contemplative

Alex and Cody (Robert & Dori’s oldest two)

Zane and Cody.  Zane is now officially taller than Cody (5yo) and wears a larger size shoe.

Update on I need advice post

Prayers are being answered in rapid succession.  She opened up to her dh last night.  He was very supportive.  (very good…I was very worried about this and was not anticipating him being supportive).  After that, she called her mom, then her grandma, and now she just got off the phone with her MIL.  Her MIL (who was somebody she was particularly afraid to tell) immediately offered not only support, but told her she also went through PPD.  She is buying her Brooke Shield’s new book.  Her mom reminded her that she had a therapist (from when her mom and dad were going through their divorce) whom she really clicked with and suggested she go see him again.  She is going to go see him and her MIL is going to watch the kids.  She is hoping to be able to do this weekly, for quite a while.

I don’t know what I said to her, really.  I was praying the entire time I was talking to ‘please give me the right words’ and wasn’t terribly aware of much I was saying, but it must have been spot on.  She is getting help.  She is building a support network.  She is going to see her long-time doctor (that has previously helped her with anxiety meds) to see about going back on the medicine to get her through at least for a while.  She knows this is a long term thing and is scared, but facing it head on. 

I am literally crying for relief and happiness.  It is an awesome beginning.  It might be rough going along the way, but she said she was in a much better place now.  (I made sure she was still planning on getting counseling…I didn’t want her to have the “I am better, so I don’t need help any more type thing going on…she is very much planning on getting counseling, so I was relieved)

This might make me a terrible person, but I am so thankful that there were others there to help carry the bulk of the load, because I did not feel like I was in a place mentally or physically to be somebody’s sole support for such huge issues right now.  I can still be here, and be back-up, but it isn’t going to need to be all on my shoulders. 

We have movement!

Tomorrow I will be 17 weeks.  Last night when I was sitting watching tv I thought I felt the baby move.  I wasn’t paying much attention, felt something, and looked down expecting (without thinking about it) to see my stomach move.  (you know, how later on when the baby moves your entire tummy shifts around).  Obviously I didn’t see anything, but when I realized that is what prompted me to look down, I got really excited.  I grabbed my headphones (hooked up to my computer so sound doesn’t go out my speakers), turned on the James Galway CD I had loaded into my computer at the time, and put the headphones over my tummy.  After a few measures I felt the baby going nuts to the point I ripped the headphones off thinking “sorry honey…didn’t mean to freak you out”.  It is the real deal!  Very excited!

Those of you on my protected list:  I posted a ‘need advice’ post under protected (blue background).  If you have the time to read it (it is long) I could really use some input.  You have to be logged in to see the post though.

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!

39 Years.  WooHoo!