Because I'm a copy cat...

My friend Ange's recent blog post inspired me to post baby pictures of Darren and I.

I really wonder what our little girl will look like.

My guess is that she is guaranteed big eyes and a really cute nose.

Beyond that is anybody's guess.

Things I was Never Told About Pregnancy

I was never told that...

• ...I would experience a full 9 months (I assume it will continue) of leaky sinuses and boogery nostrils. I have never picked my nose so much IN MY LIFE. AND I WAS A FAITHFUL NOSE-PICKING CHILD.
• ...hormones would make me psycho. I had always assumed they were referring to the "weepy" side of being hormonal (something I have plenty of experience with), but no, they weren't. I can want to choke complete strangers one minute, but then the next minute I can laugh so hard at a story I ALREADY KNOW that I cry my eyes out. It's like, no matter what I do my eyes think they need to participate by taking a whiz on my cheeks. 
• ...my already vivid dreams would become more even more so, and that they would likely develop a theme. In my case, nudity. Of random people from church. There is usually only one of them naked per dream, but MAN. Church gets awkward for me. All I can think when I see them again is, "Hey, last time I saw you you were naked....ummm". 
• I don't even want to KNOW what that means. Dream interpretations have no place in pregnancy.
• ...I would have the appetite of a horse. Oh wait, they did tell me that. Well, it continues to surprise me. 

So me...

• ...I would worry about squishing her every time I sit down or cuddle with Darren while watching TV. 
• ...I would have a panic attack every time I see an ugly or horribly disobedient child.
• ...I would want to maim everyone who insinuates that I am not being healthy enough (though I admit, I could stand to exercise more and drink more water...but that's nobody's business except mine. And Darren's too, I suppose. He does have a lot invested in this little uterine piglet...but even he will feel the wrath of Psycho Pregnant Emily if he says it in the wrong way at the wrong time. It's better for everyone if nobody takes that risk.)
• ...I would tear up every time I feel her move during quiet moments when I can just lay there and feel her little jabs and kicks with my hands. 
• ...I would feel so honored to get to even carry something so special inside of me. I always thought my body was so lame. Turns out that it isn't. It is miraculous, and I love it. 

The Qualifying Squares

So I noticed that the squares I did last night were way weirder than the perfect one I made yesterday afternoon (the difference being my being in front of the computer following strict instruction). I made two more today, and they turned out just right! The others will serve as a reminder to check the directions when in doubt =)

Sleep eludes me

....not right at this moment, but in general. I spend all day wanting to sleep, but when the time comes I usually can't get comfortable, and then the moment I DO I suddenly need to pee like a horse. However, if today is any scale by which to measure, a nap can really go a long way.

Last night was probably the most difficult of sleepless nights so far. Every time I got up it really just seemed to take forever to fall back asleep.  The upside is that Darren wasn't there, so I wasn't disturbing his rest. The downside? Darren wasn't there, so I was super uneasy with the lack of my sleeping hunk of husband's protection.

At one point I gave up and decided to look up granny square tutorials on Youtube. I honestly can NOT tell you what chain of thoughts brought me to that decision....I either can't remember, or it was an independent and random thought produced by the effects of a sleep-deprived brain. It's anyone's guess, really. So I found  this video, and found his instructions to be very thorough and fairly easy to follow. And his voice fluctuates between being delightfully entertaining and really annoying, so my mind stays actively engaged in the task at hand.

The point of all this: I am making my baby girl her very own afghan.

The first square is complete!

The first two squares were supposed to be complete, but the second one doesn't make the cut. So I'm going to stick with bragging about one square.

It certainly isn't perfect, but with practice my precision is bound to improve.

The important part is the love I'm pouring into it, right?? (Right??? Hopefully??)

And sorry the picture is so fuzzy....it doesn't catch the color right either. It is a deep magenta with a khaki-colored off white. The other color I want to use is still up in the air.

Only a billion squares to go!


Oh, and just for funzies I took a dramatic "Myspace" photo of my belly today.

Oh, and though the crimps in my hair turned out a little smaller than would usually be desired, this trick I learned from Pinterest TOTALLY WORKS. It's my new go-to hairdo because A) It is easy, and B) I don't have to worry about keeping it tidy like I would if I straightened it. It's hot mess hair!

Frosting!

First off, a preggy update:

• The piglet within squirms a lot, and it almost feel like she is taking her little fingers and pinching my insides. I realize that is impossible, but that is still the picture in my head everytime I feel that tiny burst of discomfort.
• I can no longer sneeze with my mouth closed. I did that today and nearly shoved her out of me in the process....kind of hurt, and nearly made me tinkle on myself. I experimented with a normal open-mouthed sneeze soon after and didn't feel a thing.
• Almost nothing grosses me out more than an open-mouthed sneeze. I find myself becoming more repulsive by the moment.
• Baby is already super cute. I can feel it.
• I am currently 19.5 weeks. The halfway mark is upon us!
• I'm more tired now than I was in the first trimester. Even though it will mean less sleep, I can't stop thinking about how glorious it will be to not have to get up and go to work when the baby is born, even if that only last for a few weeks.
• I've spent every day this week feeling like I just got out of bed alllll day. So sleepy.
• Darren is going to be the world's cutest papi. I love it when he talks about it.

Real life update:

• I taught my first lesson in a not singles branch Relief Society the Sunday before last. It was horrifying overall, but I think it went well from the receiving end (plenty of smiles, discussion, and participation). Nothing like teaching a lesson while staring down the nose of your sister-in-law, aunt, and grandma (all of which are rockstar teachers), a few other relatives, and a million ladies who watched me grow up. I feel like I probably was justified in being intimidated.
• Mom, the frosting is pretty similar to yours, but for some reason works better for me (i.e. doesn't come out clumpy)
• The Best Frosting Ever:

  2 c powdered sugar

  1/4 c shortening
  2 Tbs + 1.5 tsp milk (I use soy)
  1/2 tsp vanilla (I've been out of vanilla for about a month....so I just omit this part)
  Flavoring and food coloring as desired (I've been sprinkling tiny amounts of ground clove in it....YUM!)

  
  

  

  
  

  

    As you can see, it gets kind of fluffy, which is how the cookies is so delightfully smothered in it (notice the blue swirls that grew too big). Granted, I put them on the cookie hot so that it would melt and smear some, but man....it's never worked out so yummy and yummy looking before. I love icing of any kind.

• I found it somewhere online....I would have cared to save that info if I'd known I would love it so much. Probably recipes.com or something.
• I want to write a book, but I can't land on what kind/a topic that jumps out at me and screams, "ME!". I tried to force an idea recently, and that was a disaster, so if you feel like brainstorming a little bit at me, I won't mind. Maybe one of them will holler like I need it too.
• And finally, here's a little treat from the "Animals" tab on Pinterest.

Items of Business

1. I feel her move! Coolest. feeling. ever.

2. Now that I've had an ultrasound and seen that there is indeed a baby in there--and I can indeed feel it move--for the first time in my life I can make the connection between what incubates in pregnant bellies and the tiny humans mothers carry around. They really are the same thing.

5. In one of the ultrasound images she looks like Predator (according to Darren and everyone I've shown...I wouldn't know, but then again I totally avoid creepy movies). Even so, it is an awesome picture.

6. I need a real people job. At least until the baby comes.

7. I made breakfast sausage gravy for the first time last week, and I have to say that it did not taste undelicious. I was super proud of myself.

8. The same can't be said for the biscuits we were supposed to eat with them. Let's just say we had toast and gravy for dinner that night.

9. Tonight for date night we are going to have pizza and watch "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas".  I saw the end of the movie once when I found David watching it at home, and swore to myself that I would never ever watch it because it kind of made me want to cut myself.  But then Darren insisted....so here we go.

If you hear the distant sound of a banshee tonight, it is most likely me. Darren has never seen me more than sniffle or wipe my eyes in a movie, but I predict that he will repent of making me watch this one.

I have tissues ready.

10. We have another new massage therapist at work, and she is darling. She also gives super awesome massages, which this girl can definitely appreciate.  For those of you who know where I work or how to contact me, I suggest you do so in order to take advantage of our $19 special introductory rate. Price can't be beat.

11. We are in search of a reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally cheap (or free...that's good too) king size bed, so iff'in you know of anything, please let me know. Between me, my belly, my pillows, and my husband, we no longer fit comfortably (and things were already kind of tight before). Queen just doesn't cut it.

12. I discovered the world's tastiest frosting last week online. Sorry, Mom! I still love your recipe, but this stuff just has a consistency and flavor that works so good for my mouth, and it is super easy to use (for me....I am ridiculous when it comes to  trying to manipulate frosting on pastries so this is a pretty significant find).

13. Baby is growing pretty quickly this week, which is not something I thought I would ever noticed.  It has been so gradual all along that the sudden changes in balance, comfort, and sleeping are startling.

14. She also hates when I sit for too long. Ladies with short torsos (spelling?) are at a disadvantage when it comes to fitting a baby in with all the other junk we have wedged in our abdomen....in my scientific opinion.

It's Friday! Happy weekend everybody!